Shadow's Secret
by Maylayn
Summary: Britain is preparing for the upcoming war, when a sudden attack on Durmstrang sends half its students off to Beauxbatons, and the rest to Hogwarts. Daniel Potter’s world is suddenly turned upside down as his lost twin, Harry, returns to England.SLASH HPLV
1. How It All Came To Be

**Title:** Shadow's Secret

**Fandom:** Harry Potter

**Pairing:** Tom Riddle/ Harry Potter

**Timeline:** Seventh Year, AU

**Summary:** Britain is preparing for the upcoming war, when a sudden attack on Durmstrang sends half its students off to Beauxbatons, and the rest to Hogwarts. Daniel Potter's world is suddenly turned upside down as his lost twin, Harry, returns to England. And why is it that the assassin, the Grey Shadow is so intent on thwarting the Order's plans? Danger is coming to Harry, in the form of Ron Weasley and Albus Dumbledore, and his mate is powerless to protect him.

**Warnings:** SLASH. This means a male/male relationship people! Any flames where someone has a problem with this are not welcome! AU, only slightly follows a few plotlines from the books, which means there will be some SPOILERS. At some point, further along in the story, there will be RAPE. That chapter will contain a large, bold warning so that anyone who doesn't want to read it or about it are aware that it is coming. A rather large amount of OCs will be used. Many canon characters will be OOC.

**Disclaimer:** Besides the standard disclaimer (I don't own it, don't earn anything yadda yadda), anything you don't recognise is mine unless stated otherwise. So, unfortuantly, the Potterverse is still currently out of my world dominating hands. This disclaimer will not be repeated at the start of each chapter.

**Chapter One-- How It All Came To Be**

Fog crept along the ground, curling up around the men who shifted impatiently. The night was cold, freezing in fact, and none of them wished to be there. A muggle shuffled past and they froze, waiting to see if she could, in fact, see them. They had done this several times, and even though they knew no muggle could see through the Disillusionment charms placed upon them, they still wondered.

After all, any one of the muggles in Godric's Hollow could be a wizard working for the Dark Lord.

"How long did the Potters say they were gonna be gone?"

"A couple of hours."

They were silent for a moment before the first spoke again. "How long has it been?"

The other snorted. "Thirty minutes."

"Gawd. This place is boring. Don't know how they can stand it."

Something in the bushes moved and both men trained their wands onto it. The leaves parted and a cat shot out from it, hell bent on getting far away.

"Humph. Just a stupid cat."

"You don't think you-know-who would send Werewolves after them?"

The moon hung mockingly full above them, casting silvery beams of light about the lot that looked as if it were empty and devoid of life. This was the Fidelius Charm at work of course. Two members of the Order of the Phoenix calmly sat at the kitchen table, watching the twin boys carefully. While the other Auror's debated whether or not Voldemort would send werefolk, these two knew that he wouldn't shy from it.

That was why they watched the twins. Lily and James Potter were taking a sample of blood from each to be tested at St Mungo's. Dumbledore suspected that one or both may have creature blood in them, and it was far better to be prepared than caught unawares.

While they watched, they noticed something distinctly different about the two boys. Little Daniel, with his fiery red hair, pale skin and hazel eyes, was occupying himself with throwing the little coloured blocks about him, giggling when they floated and spun in intricate circles. Harry on the other hand, with raven locks, light olive skin and piercing emerald eyes, was watching those blocks intently. It had only taken the Auror's a few minutes to realise that Harry was making the blocks move.

And then something changed. Harry shuddered and Daniel screwed his eyes up and began to cry. Confused the Auror's picked Adam up, eyes on little Harry. James had told them that only a few weeks ago Lily had found a small cut on the boys arm that refused to heal. Since then he had been acting strangely.

The bright emerald of Harry's eyes began to change, gold creeping into them. It was almost like the fur crept over his skin. Where the one year old had previously sat, now was a tiny bundle of blue-black fur. Gold eyes blinked up at them and the cub barked.

Terrified the Auror's turned to leave only to hear their counterparts outside yell, "He's here!"

There was a flash of bright green, and then the door shattered inwards, an imposing figure in a black hooded robe stepped through. A wand was levelled on them and the one holding Daniel ran up the stairs, knowing that the only safe place for him was in his crib. The other glanced down at the tiny wolf cub, which barked again. Turning, he ran after his partner, leaving little Harry at the mercy of Voldemort.

Harry whined before his eyes latched onto the robed man. With a playful yip he placed his forepaws on the top of the playpens barrier, small tail wagging happily. Voldemort watched the young pup curiously.

"Now, why would the Potter's have a werewolf in their house, hmm? Unless…of course. You are young Harry." The cub yipped again. "Very well, I am afraid I must dispose of you."

A low, angry growl broke the sudden silence. Harry barked again, his tail working furiously now. Voldemort turned to see a large, shaggy coated grey wolf. It's golden eyes flashed in warning as it moved within the room. Behind it was a slightly smaller wolf, its coat smooth and gleaming silver in the soft light. Amber eyes were latched onto the young cub and it moved forward, confident that it would not be harmed. Harry licked at the wolf's face, before he was carefully picked up by the nape of his neck.

"Fenrir." The grey wolf gave another low growl. "Am I correct in assuming that young Harry's transformation was your doing?" Another growl answered him. "Very well. Please remain here, Fenrir. I have some business to take care of." He eyed the silvery wolf, where it stood protectively over Harry. "If there are any more members of your pack, please keep them under control."

An angry bark followed the chuckling Dark Lord up the flight of stairs. He could sense strong wards all around him, but none were so tangible as those placed upon the only closed room. Flicking his wand, the door disintegrated, leaving the two wizards within staring at him, frozen in fright.

"Avada kedavra."

The beam of green light slammed into both wizards, throwing them into the opposite wall. Two cots sat in the room. He assumed that they had once been quite close, the dent in the soft carpet all the proof needed. But now the one on the right had been moved into what looked like an alcove of sorts, as far from the other as it could get without leaving the room. Powerful charms and spells had been placed upon them. The left was protected by wards created to keep things out. The right had a ward designed specifically to…keep things in.

Voldemort frowned at this. It was obvious to him who slept in that cot. Little Harry. A young werewolf cub. This was not the behaviour he had come to expect from the Potters. This family were the most competent of his opponents, and despite their loyalty to Albus Dumbledore, had always cared for their children. The knowledge that they would push one away simply because of something that could not be controlled caused his eyes to flash an angry red.

Striding into the room, he stopped by the cot that still sat in the centre. Inside was a gurgling Daniel, chewing on the leg of a poor stuffed dog. His hazel eyes were devoid of the intelligence his brother possessed; he was most likely destined to be more like his father rather than his mother. Sneering at the child, Voldemort raised his wand and spoke in a low voice, "So this is the other. I'm afraid you have nothing to your twin. Avada Kedavra!"

The green light shot from his wand, hitting a shield that glowed bright gold a moment, before reflecting the spell back. The Dark Lord gasped as his soul left his body, hovering only long enough to see that some part of the curse had touched the boy. Daniel was crying loudly, blood seeping from a cut in the shape of a lightening bolt on his left cheek.

Auror's suddenly flooded the lower level of the house, attempting to stun the larger wolves. The blue-black cub was left behind as they reluctantly retreated. An Auror conjured a small steel cage, bare and cold. The cub was thrown roughly into the cage and left hovering the middle of the room. He barked and growled before whimpering as, one by one, they hit the cage as they passed it.

No one cared for the oldest twin. After all, what place does a dark creature have in a light family?

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

A year to the day later, Lily Potter swept Daniel Potter up into her arms, laughing and proclaiming that this day was special to everyone, and all because of him. He giggled and waved at his godfather, Sirius Black, who gave a mock bow. James Potter smiled at the proceedings before turning to his unnaturally intelligent two-year-old son.

"Now, Harry, this day is very special for two reasons. Do you know what they are?"

Harry frowned, refusing to raise his eyes from where they were glued to the inside of a thin book titled _Siren's Song_ by Silvavang. It was a book detailing what every young wolf would need to learn and had been gifted to him by his own godfather, Remus Lupin. While Harry could read, he was nowhere near being able to understand what was in the book, but the moving pictures fascinated him. The wolves were friendly to him. "Dan saved the world, Voldemort died."

James glared at his son, reaching forward and grabbing the book. The wolves bared their fangs and raised their hackles in retaliation. Glowing emerald eyes looked up and latched onto hazel ones. "Harry, tonight is the beginning of the full moon."

Sadness crept into the bright eyes and the small shoulders sagged. "Oh."

"Yes. Come on now, we best get you safe."

Harry never bothered to mention to his father that the idea of being trapped within the tiny cage caused him to tremble and cry in his sleep. He dreaded the full moon because it meant that he would spend three days from his family. Oh, he could certainly see the worry in his mother's eyes; he knew this was hard for everyone. But Remus got the wolfsbane potion each month. Harry was not allowed the potion.

And he never bothered to mention to his parents that he could, if he wanted to, refuse the change. Remus knew his secret, and kept it safe for him. Besides, Harry was much happier in his wolf form.

As he was led inside the metal cage, he noticed the plush blanket folded neatly in one corner, and a smile tugged at his lips. He could smell his mother's scent, and knew that despite everything, she really did love him.

"We can't have this in here." James grabbed the blanket, pausing when Harry launched himself onto it, refusing to relinquish his hold on what was, essentially, an offering of comfort and love. "Harry, let go. Now, Harry!" James yanked hard and his son was thrown off, slamming into the metal bars.

Almost immediately, fur melted over skin and clothes, and emerald eyes suddenly swirled with gold. Harry growled, jumping up and turning to face his father. James' eyes grew wide with fear, the blanket falling from numb fingers. The werewolf cub, though only slightly bigger than a year before, had learned to trust his instincts without question. They had served to keep him safe from the childish way his brother attempted to harm him. And now he was seeing his father as a threat to his own well-being.

James gulped and backed away, stepping out of the cage and slamming it shut. As he left the room, the haunting howl of his son spun a devastating melody around his already torn soul.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Albus Dumbledore stepped inside the office of one of the head Medi-witches in St Mungo's, nodding to the witch and to Lily and James. In Lily's arms was a grinning Daniel. Beside James, enclosed in a metal cage and sitting on a soft blanket, was a transformed Harry. The mostly green eyes glared accusingly at his father, but turned to the older wizard the moment he was near. A deep-throated growl broke the medi-witch out of wherever she had been before.

She smiled down at the small cub. She had absolutely nothing against those with creature blood. Werewolves, when treated with respect and dignity, were quite placid, most even kind to those who cared for them. Her team was handpicked for empathy. In fact they had become attached to the small cub, whether in his transformed state or as a young to-be wizard. He had tremendous power and the potential for helping make their world a better place. Despite what some considered as 'bad blood'.

"Headmaster," she smiled politely at the older wizard. "I was not aware it was you we were waiting for. This really is a matter for family and guardians only."

"I am to be young Harry's guardian, depending on the results of your tests." His blue eyes hardened a moment. "I assume you have concluded what we suspected?"

She frowned at him. It was something she had been used to while attending Hogwarts under his supervision, but she found that it was rather rude out in the real world. "As a matter of fact, Headmaster, I have finished the tests. Harry most definitely, as I am sure you can tell by now, is a werewolf. He most likely received the bite, or cut, only a few weeks after birth. Now--."

"That's impossible!"

The medi-witch glared at James for his outburst. A soft whine caught her attention and she looked down at Harry. His tail wagged slowly before stopping. The sadness in his eyes was most likely due to the fact that he was restricted to his cage during transformations. "It is quite possible, Mr Potter."

"But Harry didn't change until…until that night." Lily's eyes were wide, yet within them was a genuine worry for her son's welfare, not for the status of his blood.

"Yes. Finding out how he was able to stop the monthly transformations took quite a few more tests, the results of which were surprising to say the least." She sighed and closed her eyes a moment. When they opened again they were focused intently on Harry. She leaned forward and flicked her wand, levitating the cage onto her desk. Ignoring the protests from the men, and filing away the look of approval in Lily's eyes, she opened the door.

For a moment Harry seemed torn between defending himself and venturing out. It didn't take long for the natural curiosity for a three year old to win over his survival instincts. The medi-witch was well known to him and her scent was comforting, despite the tangible feel of fear from his father. Jumping from the cage and into the witches lap, he barked and his tail began to wag furiously.

"You see, Harry is unique. Far more unique than even young Daniel is, despite his…triumph over the Dark Lord." She raised a hand and began to stroke the silky soft fur. "He was able to prevent the transformations because, somehow, he was aware of your dislike of dark creatures. However, judging from his godfather, it does not extend to every one of those creatures. The only other explanation is that he was simply preparing himself."

"I beg your pardon?" Dumbledore frowned. "Preparing himself? Harry may have above average power, but he is nothing more than a werewolf in wizard's robes."

The medi-witch glared. "Do some research, Headmaster. We have tested Harry each and every time he has come here and found that he is far more than 'above average'."

Lily bit her lip, tentatively reaching out towards her son. Daniel wiggled and was quickly passed to James. Harry cocked his head to the side and watched her, judging her actions. With another bark he jumped onto the table and butted his head against her outstretched hand. A smile touched her lips and she scratched him just behind the ears. With a happy little whine, he stepped down off the table and curled up on her lap. His mother relished in this, she hadn't had much of a choice in how Harry was treated.

"What is Harry, exactly?" Lily's soft green eyes were full of worry for her son.

The medi-witch smiled reassuringly. "If it were not for the werewolf blood in his veins, Harry would have been a full-blooded Hecatamus."

"Preposterous. Hecatamae died out during the Founder's Era." Dumbledore shook his head, the twinkle in his eyes completely dead. "Harry could be nothing more than an elemental of some sort. He has none of the characteristics of the Hecatamae."

The witch glared angrily at the older wizard before her eyes moved back to Harry. The small cub was watching her carefully. "Harry, please show them what you showed me."

The cub barked, jumping back onto the desk. He growled at the sight of the cage, yipping when it slammed into the wall near the desk. Wagging his tail, a glow appeared around him, the fur melting back into skin and clothes. Before them, now sat a three-year-old Harry, but on his back, shimmering in the light, was a pair of thin leathery wings, coloured a deep blood red. Harry appeared to be in some sort of pain as he struggled to keep the wings there. With huff and a pout, the wings vanished completely.

"Very good Harry." The medi-witch smiled as Harry grinned up at her. She looked at the other three. "It's harder for him to make those wings visible. The werewolf blood is interacting with the Hecatamae blood, and because we've never seen this type of hybrid we have no way to know what will happen in the future."

Dumbledore was frowning down at Harry. "How is it he can control the transformation process?"

"We don't know. At best we can guess."

"Hecatamae control things around them. So, it makes sense if Harry can control some aspect of his own nature," Lily said as she gathered the three-year-old into her arms. "And I think it's a fantastic show of his abilities."

They continued to discuss peculiarities of Harry's unique situation, but the medi-witch kept most of her attention on mother and child. Lily truly did love Harry, despite what made him different to Daniel. Speaking of the younger twin…her eyes flickered over and a frown creased her brow. The three-year-old toddler was currently glaring at his brother; pure hatred in what should have been soft hazel.

"Should we give him the wolfsbane potion?"

Dumbledore nodded to James. "Of course, he will become more violent as he grows older. It would be best to get him used to it as soon as possible."

"No!" The medi-witch glared at the two wizards. "We already tested that. Harry reacts quite negatively against that particular potion. It causes him enough pain for him to loose control over the werewolf side of him."

Lily nodded. "Alright, we won't give it to him then."

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Daniel glared at his twin. Harry was currently chasing his own tail in the middle of the snow. His black coat, shined with faint blue highlights, and his emerald eyes would be swirling with faint traces of gold. He wasn't even meant to be out there. He was a _werewolf_ for Merlin's sake! He could injure someone!

Why his mother thought they needed to spend time together was beyond his comprehension. All he knew was that she believed the two seven year olds could somehow get along.

He frowned when Harry turned and loped over towards him. From being a small bundle of black fur and gold eyes, he had grown to the size of an average Timber wolf and could easily eat up miles. And Daniel knew, he'd seen him on more than one occasion running around the mini Quidditch pitch that sat at the back of the estate.

In one fluid movement, Harry went from loping wolf to running child. There was a brief flash of his wings before he skidded to a stop before Daniel. "Dan?"

Daniel sneered down at his twin. "_Harry_. Would it kill you to call me _Daniel_? It _is_ my name after all."

Harry frowned. "Why? You're my brother. Aren't we supposed to have names for each other?"

"I don't see why I would want to do that," he sniffed. "Being related to you is enough of a punishment. I still can't see why I would deserve such a thing!"

Emerald eyes flashed and began to glow. "Why? Because you're the fucking boy-who-lived? Mum put up the ward that saved you! All you did was lay there!"

"So? The world bows at my feet. They all want to know me. And they don't even know who you are. Oh, sure, they know I have a twin. But they've never seen you. If they ever did you'd be shunned and in Azkaban so fast not even your dirty magic could save you!"

Harry flicked his hand and suddenly Daniel found himself pressed against the wall behind him. Pure, raw, magic was bearing down on his throat making it hard to breathe. Those glowing eyes were suddenly everything he could see.

"Don't call my magic '_dirty_'. Everything I am, everything I have, is more pure than anything you can lay claim to!"

The pressure eased off, and before Harry could change his mind, Daniel screamed as loud as he could, "DAD! HARRY'S ATTACK--mrf!"

Harry flicked his fingers and suddenly Daniel couldn't speak. With one last glare, Harry stepped back, fur sliding over skin as he dropped back into his wolf form. Just as he spun and began to leave, a beam of red light shot just over his head. James Potter strode from the house, his wand trained on his own son, a look pf pure contempt twisting his normally handsome features.

Harry growled angrily, turning to face his father. As another beam of red light streamed his way, he made to jump away, but then yet another slammed into him and sent him into a nearby tree. His fur melted away and he groaned, pain shooting up and down his pine. The spell should have knocked him out, but his magic pushed at the black haze clouding his vision.

Daniel watched, speechless, as colourful wisps of magic snapped around Harry. He had only seen this once, when they were five, and he had pushed him down the stairs. Then, the magic had cushioned his fall and healed a slight bump to the head. It was then that Daniel had realised that Harry's Hecatamae blood really was made up of pure magic. His mother's wand had never worked in Harry's hands. Neither had their father's for that matter. No wand ever did.

Emerald eyes flickered, the glow still there, anger still sparking. He pushed himself up and glared at his father, who still had his wand trained on him. A spell was on his lips when a female voice cried out, "_expelliarmus_!" and the wand flew out of his hands.

Lily rushed past her husband and youngest son, instantly kneeling beside Harry, casting a specially designed spell over him. The wisps of magic were suddenly sucked back in to him, and his eyes returned to normal. "Oh, my poor Harry."

"Lily! Step away from him, he attacked Daniel!"

Anger made the jade eyes spark the same way as Harry's emeralds and she whipped around to face her husband. "And he probably attacked him first!"

"It doesn't matter, Lils. Harry could turn him."

"James Potter! You've been ignoring this for three years now! I can't do it anymore. I can't listen to you bad mouth our son. And not even just because he's a werewolf. You call his magic _dirty_ James, _dirty_. And why? Because he's a Hecatamus? That is no reason. Please James, please, just try to love him?"

James looked at his wife. He could see in her eyes that she would leave. He knew in his heart that he had pushed her away enough times that if he hurt her once more…

"Okay, Lils. I'll try."

It didn't work. Three months later everything fell apart. Lily never said it, she didn't even bother to let her husband know, but she had already filed for divorce and he had signed the papers, though he wouldn't remember it. The _Confundus_ charm was a useful spell. She left him a note, told him not to come looking.

_Dear James,_

_This letter will most likely find you soon after your dim-witted brain will realise that Harry and I are not in the house. I doubt you will worry overly much because of that fact, since you care so little for your own child._

_I'm not going to ask you to understand, nor will I explain everything. An Auror they call you, I find that rather difficult to believe now._

_I am leaving. I am not coming back. I am taking Harry. And don't you dare cheer because your oldest son is gone! We are now officially divorced and I am free to pursue the one I always did truly love. Lust is such a blinding emotion._

_Stay safe I suppose._

_Lily Evans_

_P.S Try growing a brain at some point, will you?_


	2. The Guild Council

Thank you to Koruyuha, semper paratis, animegurl088, pwure, Razzling Roses and athenakitty for their reviews. And to the seven people who favourited this fic and placed it on alert. I can honestly say that I didn't expect it to be welcomed so much! Thankyou you all. It is because of you that this chapter is up so soon! Enjoy!

I would also like to thank my beta, muse and friend, Jess, who has helped get this story off the clipboard and into thw actual writing stage.

**Chapter Two-- The Guild Council and The Powers of The Wizarding World**

To say that Albus Dumbledore was uncomfortable was a severe understatement. The wizened old wizard had never before been in a position where he had very little influence over the end outcome.

He steeled himself as figures moved in the shadows surrounding him. He stood in a pool of warm light within a darkened room. Those figures were representatives of the Guilds and would not reveal themselves until they felt it necessary. Beside him, scowling about as if this was all beneath him, was his trusted right hand man, Severus Snape.

"So, the great Albus Dumbledore petitions this Council," a velvety soft voice hissed from the shadows, "yet I see no reason to grant such an audience."

"Hush, Beltheir. Every petition is answered."

The shadows lightened and Dumbledore looked about himself. Twenty-two of the most powerful and influential individuals, representing the eleven factions of the magical world, surrounded him and Snape. Two each for the Assassins, Healers, Spies, Courtesans, Mages, Wichards, Werefolk, Demons, Angels, Vampires and Masters.

"I give you my humble thanks in allowing this meeting. It is of the utmost importance that we gain from you, your support and aid in this most troubling period in our world." He held his head high, hoping that the same tactics he had always relied on would work now.

A Demon shifted, leathery wings opening slightly. "We are not fools, Albus Dumbledore, unlike the pathetic wizards who _organise_ your world."

"We resent that, Haren." A witch smiled at the Demon. Her counterpart snorted when the Demons merely smirked.

"Nevertheless, we are here to hear what you have to say, wizard. Please, state your reasoning's." Beside the Demons sat two Angels, one of which watched Dumbledore with clear blue eyes.

Shifting uncomfortably, he put on the most authoritive voice he could manage. "The Dark Lord, known as Lord Voldemort, is currently searching for a young wizard in my care, Daniel Potter. He is, as I am sure you all know, the Boy Who Lived and the only one capable of defea--."

"Bullshit!"

The group murmured, turning to look at the hooded man who had spoken. A flash of silver and a dull _thunk_ had Dumbledore stepping back suddenly. A small dagger with an ornate design of snakes on the handle was embedded in the floor just beside where his foot had previously been.

"'Only one'? Do you truly think that _one_ person has the ability to destroy a Dark Lord? Propaganda, Dumbledore, is your greatest asset. And it is your greatest weakness. You make the world believe that they have no power against it all, and you weaken them."

Emerald eyes flashed from within the deep shadows of the hood, which obscured his facial features. Those eyes glowed in an eerie way and Dumbledore found himself gasping out, "Elemental!"

A low chuckle echoed around the room as he stood up. "Perhaps." He jumped down from the dais he sat in, landing on light feet and immediately striding over to them. "All you need to know, old man, is that Dark Lord's are not the only threat to the stability of the world."

Snape drew in a hissed breath as the man plucked the dagger out of the wooden floor. He recognised the low tenor voice. His coal black eyes flickered over the figure, taking in the deep grey hooded cloak, the black strip of cloth that hid his lower features, the blazing emerald eyes before finally moving to take in the emblem upon the dais he had left. A silver dagger sat in the foreground, the edges a deep jade to signify the poison it was coated in. Behind it, was an onyx bow, made specifically for slinging across ones back and quick dismantlement and assembly.

He knew that emblem, had had dealings with those who bore it proudly and secretly. He had never seen any of their faces, but then again, no one ever lived to describe them.

Assassins.

The emerald orbs danced with laughter. "I thought you might recognize me, Potions Master Severus Snape."

The Council shifted, the Masters leaning forward to look at him carefully before sitting back again. They would know him; the two representatives had been voted on by all of the Masters around the world. The brunette with the burning hazel eyes was a Master of Necromancy, while his companion, a grey-eyed red head, was a Master of Herbology.

Snape kept his eyes trained on the assassin before him. "Grey Shadow."

"I much prefer Grey."

A wereleopard growled. "Grey, if it would be too much, could you please stop patronising our guests?"

Grey turned and gave a deep bow. "Of course, Lonah. Please, continue." With that he spun and turned back to his seat, climbing nimbly back over the wall and into it.

The blue eyed Angel spoke up, her voice soft and melodious. "We are, in fact, well aware of the situation you are currently facing. However, we fail to see how this requires our intervention."

"Kely is right." a Healer frowned down at the pair. "Most of those factions which the Guilds represent are denied access to Britain. I would go so far as to say that they are unwanted. Your people are prejudiced, Dumbledore."

A Courtesan, with pure gold eyes, nodded his agreement. "Most of us are unallowed to practice that which aids us. Whether it be to seek information, or survive a situation."

The female beside him tipped her head slightly to the side, a calculating look in her dark eyes. When she spoke, her voice held a mysterious quality, which drew the listener in. "Yet, for some reason I cannot fathom, our services are being required more and more in a country where there is only those loyal to the Light, and everyone else.

The Spy representatives sighed simultaneously. Identical twins were rare within the Guilds. The two spoke together, sounding rather like the Weasley Twins, Fred and George. But Dumbledore could not see them in the shadows they hid in, not even a hint of eye colour. "There is a more pressing matter than the safety of some Child Saviour, Golden Boy, supposed Chosen One. Have you not noticed how many refuse to swear fealty to the Light, to you Albus Dumbledore? So many are seeking neutrality, yet you bring the war to them."

Dumbledore frowned, while he tried to hide his frustration and anger from them. He schooled his features into a look of confusion. "I fail to see how the confusion and division within Wizarding Britain is my own fault. But please, will you give us your support?"

"You have hardly given us reason to." A Mage spoke softly. As yet, they had been silent, merely watching the proceedings. "Why should we give you anything?"

"Because, when Voldemort is finished with Britain, he will go after the rest of the world. He will kill all those who oppose him, whether they be muggles, muggle borns, half-bloods, purebloods or Guild members." His blue eyes narrowed as they simply shook their heads. "What part of that do you not understand?"

"We understand it perfectly, Dumbledore. It is you who does not understand." The hooded assassin beside Grey had a slight French lilt to her otherwise smooth voice. "Voldemort will not touch a Guild member. We know this with utter certainty. If he ever harmed one, he would face the wrath of not just their own faction, but the entirety of the Guilds."

One of the twin Spies spoke up, sounding odd without the others voice. "We are safe, Dumbledore. And not all of us support him; most Guild members are not purebloods. But we are safe."

Dumbledore looked around him, aware that in order to win this war, he needed them. He needed to rectify the mistakes he had made throughout his life. This was his redemption. "Please," he said softly. "I beg of you, please. Just give us some form of aid. Do we not deserve a fighting chance? Why should one side have all the power?"

Grey's emerald orbs narrowed slightly and he glanced at his companion. "Balance is something we strive for. It once existed in the world, and should again. But you must be prepared."

"Grey is correct." The female Healer looked down at the pair and gave them a tentative smile. "There is only Light and Dark in the world you helped create, Dumbledore. There should be Light, Dark and the neutrality of Grey."

The vampire Beltheir flashed his fangs in a grim smile. "You must be prepared to let them all in. You cannot have a world with only Light. The others must exist for there to be balance."

Kely smiled softly. "This session is concluded Dumbledore." She raised her hand to silence his protests. "But, we will send one of our own, an envoy of sorts, to assess the situation. We will not tell you who they are, nor where they will be researching. When they have concluded their mission to our satisfaction, we will let you know our answer. Until then, watch what you allow to happen. You have power within Hogwarts, the Ministry, the Wizengamot and your own Order. Be careful."

The shadows suddenly swamped over them. Dumbledore heard nothing else, but he knew they were there, watching him. Turning to Snape, he cleared his throat. "Well, Severus, I suppose we should return."

The younger man raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Of course." He scoffed. "We have been here far longer than you intended, Albus. If the school is to even survive the day, we must return. Merlin knows what Potter will get up to in our absence."

As the two left, following the glowing orb that lit their way, they failed to hear the angry hiss behind them in the shadows.

The lights snapped on and the Guild Council members blinked slowly. The Assassin and Spy representatives lowered their hoods. Grey and his companion pulled the cloth from the lower half of their faces, allowing the dark material to hang about their necks.

Haren and Corsis, the Demon members stretched their large leathery wings, grinning at the glares from the two Angels, Kely and Gabriel. "Ah, now that was enlightening."

Grey raised an eyebrow, a small smirk gracing his face. "Enlightening? Ah, my dear Gabriel, but you did not hear what his mind was screaming."

The Angel glared at him from across the chamber. "Spill."

"He doesn't care. Not really. Balance to him is pure Light. Our ideals cannot survive in his world. If he wins, we loose."

The twin Spies spoke up, their soft blue eyes sad. Fiery red hair glinted in the torchlight as they sighed. "Only in Voldemort's world would any of us even survive. Loath as we are to admit it, but balance is only to be had at his hands."

Beltheir smirked at Grey from his position a few seats over. "Well, looks like he does come in handy after all."

Grey growled low in his throat. His emerald eyes suddenly flashed and swirled with gold. "Funny. I'm still trying to find a use for you in this war."

Lonah frowned, a hand placed on her werewolf companion to stay his sudden movements. "Everyone has a place, Grey, you know that." She turned her blue-grey eyes to the still smirking vampire. "And Beltheir, it would do you good to remember that out of all the assassins, only one has ever killed one of your own clan."

The other male vampire, Nori, grinned at the now scowling Beltheir. "Ah, yes. I remember that. Grey was unstoppable."

Kely smiled softly. "We will need to arrange for someone to have access to the one place we no longer can."

The twins grinned at her. "We are truly sorry--."

"But our graduation--."

"Was inevitable. But we can--."

"Keep a closer eye on Dumbledore--."

"And his Order. They have been--."

"Moving more lately, and are--."

"Searching for something." They finished together. The Council members blinked slowly before starting at the sound of Grey's laughter.

He tried to smother the laugh, but still, loud snickers escaped and his eyes danced with merriness.

Gabriel sighed and rolled his eyes. "I say we send him. If he thinks any of this is funny, then he should suffer the fools."

"What! S'not my fault you lot still can't follow them." Grey huffed before slouching in his seat.

His companion, Genna, looked at him with disapproving violet eyes. "We are still in session, Grey. Would it kill you to at least sit respectfully?"

"Yes. Yes, it would."

"We could always kick you off you know." Corsis sneered at him. "Wouldn't hurt us much."

Grey raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't it? Well then, in that case, I think I might just slink off home."

"Grey, Corsis. This…petty…argument of yours is beginning to become tiresome." Kely sighed softly, her blue eyes betraying her amusement. "Corsis, you know Grey is the most competent of the Assassins for his age, and the most unlikely to ever get caught. We need his expertise on more than a few situations. He is on this council until his faction vote him out."

Gabriel nodded. Grey eyes closed a moment before snapping open again. "I got it!"

A Mage, Phillip, frowned at him. "Go' wha'?"

"The answer! All we need is someone in Hogwarts right? But we have no access to teachers or current students. So, we send new ones."

Grey frowned. "Transfer students would be suspicious. Even now, the parents of students might withdraw their children, but no other schools are accepting them back in."

"I thought you were smart?" Gabriel ignored the angry glare and continued. "Problem is, to send one, we need people to protect them without putting themselves at risk with the knowledge of the mission."

"You aren't seriously suggesting--."

"That we send them to--."

"Hogwarts? The whole--."

"School believes that they--."

"Practice dark magic."

"Yes, I am suggesting it. You two went there, and you created havoc. In that time you were able to gather more Intel on the goings on of Dumbledore's school, than any of us had gathered for a decade."

Grey blinked. Twice. "Wait a minute. Who are we sending?"

"You, of course."

"Me?! Are you insane? I have relatives there who would probably love nothing more than to see me locked up for eternity."

Nori looked at him sternly. "Grey. Go to your mate, and let him know that we want him to do something for us."

"I suppose I have no say in this?"

The vampire smiled. "Not really, no."

He huffed in annoyance, before looking around the chamber. Twenty-one pairs of eyes looked at him expectantly. Scowling, he nodded. "Fine. I'll do it. But transferring is still far too suspicious. Dumbledore would be far too interested in me. And Potter is likely to…recognize me."

"You won't be transferring." Gabriel reassured him in a soft voice. "And you won't be alone. The only way to keep you anonymous for as long as possible is to have you surrounded by a large group of people, namely your peers."

"I will not put them in danger." He growled, anger at the idea of endangering those he attended school with rising within him.

Kely shook her head. "They will be in no more danger at Hogwarts than they would be at Durmstrang. The only difference is they will be subjected to Dumbledore's manipulative nature. Do you think they are not capable of surviving this?"

"Yes, they can deal with it. But the Circle isn't large enough, nor strong enough."

"Nevertheless," Gabriel raised his voice in a tone that begged no argument. "You need to ask your mate to attack Durmstrang, only to the extent that it would take the better part of a year to rebuild. We want no casualties. The Board can be swayed towards the idea of allowing the students to attend Hogwarts. Make sure he understands that it is to be a devastating attack. We will need for it to reach the press in Britain."

Grey nodded. "As you wish." He stood and looked around once more. "I'll let you know his answer as soon as he gives it."

"Be careful, Grey."

Several voices called out farewells as he exited the chamber, following the darkly lit corridor until it reached a door. Placing his hand against the smooth, worn wood, he smirked when it shuddered before changing to a dark mahogany colour. The brass knob changed to an elegant silver handle, several runes inscribed into it. Turning the handle, he pushed the door forwards, stepping into a cosy study room.

Candles floated several feet above his head, casting a soft golden light about the room. Book shelves full of forbidden and forgotten lore lined three walls, and a soft black rug kept the chill from rising from the wooden floor. The fourth wall had two portraits on either side of a large door, identical to the one he closed behind him, that one vanished and a tapestry covered the empty wall.

The portrait on the left contained a stern faced man dressed in impeccable black robes, the edges done in a brilliant silver finish. He raised a finely shaped eyebrow and watched with soft blue eyes as he stepped forward.

"Hello Salazar."

"Greetings, Harry."

It wasn't a name he ever heard within the Guild Council. As a member of the Assassin Guild it was a requirement to have another name. His had been gifted to him. Grey Shadow, the one assassin who could slip about any vampire stronghold, and refused to swear fealty to either side of the war, was none other than Harry Evans, son of the best Charms teacher Durmstrang had ever had.

"Don't forget me!"

The portrait on the right held a scowling young witch, hands on her hips and pouting at the laughing Salazar. She wore a deep blue robe, cut to fit her body shape, and trimmed in bronze.

"Sorry, Rowena. I didn't mean to."

"Don't worry, Harry. She's been in a right mood ever since Dumblydook returned from your little meeting!"

Harry forced himself not to say anything as Salazar turned to the wizard in red who had just popped into his portrait, a menacing glare on his face.

"Godric Gryffindor! GET YOUR MANGY ARSE OUT OF MY PORTRAIT!"

Godric grinned and waved farewell to Harry, who was having trouble hiding his snickers. "Bye Godric."

"Don't talk to him! It's no wonder he's always popping in here, with you wandering in and out of this here library every now and then."

"You should move in, Harry." Rowena smiled at him, her hazel eyes shining. "At least then, you wouldn't have to worry over whether or not your father will track you down."

Harry gave her a small smile. "It's not me my father is searching for. He caught wind of mum's marriage. He isn't happy."

Salazar raised an eyebrow again. "Is that so? Well, best not keep your mate too much longer. He was here just a short time ago, wondering if you'd returned yet."

Harry grabbed the silver handle and gave the two one last smile before entering the next room. This one was even more inviting than the last. Large windows opened up onto a balcony, overlooking a breathtaking view of mountains and a lush forest below. The walls were covered in a forest setting, the leaves of the trees swaying. It was magically linked to several of his friends and family, allowing him to make sure they were safe when ever he was there. Several different coloured wolves howled silent greetings as he closed the door. The floor was covered in a soft, plush, black carpet. Against one wall was a king sized bed, the drapes dark green and the bed covers a soft grey colour.

But the best thing of all was what was lying in the middle of the bed.

Grinning, Harry toed his shoes off, and allowed the cloak to pool on the floor. Silently he stalked across the room before climbing up the bed. His prey opened their eyes and love flooded out of them, pale fingers reaching up to grab hold of the material used to hide his lower face and dragging him forward. Harry settled over the man's hips, leaning down to brush a feather light kiss over soft lips.

"I missed you."

The words ghosted over his senses, the lips moving against his own and making him shiver with the knowledge that he hadn't seen his mate for near to a month. "I know." Harry shifted so that he lay half on half off the man, resting his head on the shoulder as arms wrapped securely around him. "How did the raid go?"

"We managed to grab one Order member, a man by the name of…actually I don't know his name. Doesn't matter much though. He mentioned you."

"Me?"

"Yes. Or, at least, the Grey Shadow. You were busy last month."

Harry sighed and glanced up. Soft brown eyes, tinged with a hint of red looked down at him, laced with worry. Pale skin, not unhealthy, but pale all the same, glowed in the torchlight and the dark brown locks of hair fell onto his face and spread out over the pillow like a halo against the green cases. "Things have become…complicated lately."

"I noticed. That was the third meeting you've been called to in the past four months. What has them so worked up?"

"Dumbledore. Balance. But mostly Dumbledore."

An eyebrow was arched in a way eerily similar to Salazar himself. "Care to elaborate on tonight's?"

Harry sighed. His mate was always curious about his position and the goings on of the Guild Council. After all, Tom Marvolo Riddle, Lord Voldemort, the most powerful Dark Lord in the past century couldn't be left out of the loop. "Dumbledore requested a session. We, of course, accepted and allowed him to put forth his case. They all know and agree that the balance is in turmoil, has been for the past one hundred and twenty years, and we know that he is at the heart of it all."

"What did he ask for?"

"Aid. He believes that he can win with the Guild's on his side. But he doesn't know the meaning of balance. He didn't say it, but I could hear it. He thinks we're off our rockers to even believe that you would want balance between light and dark."

"Hmm. He always did that. The dark is something he fears, I think." Fingers threaded through Harry's hair and he let out a contented purr. "What was their answer?"

"The same we always give. An envoy, but really a spy, to look at the situation. Dumbledore won't know who they are or where they will be, so he won't be able to manipulate what they see and hear to suit his own needs."

"Who are they sending, Harry?" Silence met his question and he shifted to better look at the young man by his side. Hooking a finger under the chin, he lifted Harry's face until the soft emerald's met his. "It's you, isn't it?"

Harry nodded. "Yes." his voice was soft, barely audible. "But they want to send the Circle as well."

"Transfer students are too--."

"Suspicious, yes, I know." Harry unwrapped himself from his mate and stood up, beginning to pace beside the bed. "But we aren't going to transfer. Dumbledore, the Ministry and Hogwarts will be offering us, and a lot more students, temporary accommodation."

"Why?" Tom was at a loss as to why they would do that. Durmstrang was perfectly safe, and he would never dream of attacking any of the European schools. He rather liked having Harry by his side, rather than yelling at him over a simple attack. He had tried it once and had been denied access to the young man, whether mentally or physically, until he swore he wouldn't do it again.

Harry gave him an exasperated look. "Think, Tom."

He blinked. "Why would I do that?"

"Are we thinking the same thing?"

"I won't attack Durmstrang! I swore to you I wouldn't do it without…proper…reason." He trailed off before biting his lower lip, something which made him look younger than late twenties appearance. "You won't kill me for it?"

Harry laughed. "There are terms, love, that you have to abide by in order for this to work." He sat back down on the bed, turning so he could watch his mate. "The attack needs to be devastating enough so that the English press pick up on it. The school has to be inhabitable for most of the year, which gives us ample time to get what we need safely. And there most be no casualties. At all."

"That's going to be hard, but I'm sure I can arrange it. You won't be there, will you?" Tom tried to keep the fear and hope from his voice, but it wavered all the same.

Emerald eyes laughed, but the face remained the same, just the barest hint of a smile. "Yes. I need to be. If I'm not, and someone mentions it, Dumbledore could catch wind of it and then he'll watch me closer than he will anyway. I have to be. Besides, I can make sure your Death Eaters don't _accidentally_ hurt someone."

"_Our_ Death Eaters. You lead them as much as I do."

Harry gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I know. Can you do it?"

Tom sighed in defeat. "Yes. I'll need a few weeks to organise those to go and how and when is the best time to do it."

"Good. I'll send them a message later. But for now…" He grinned mischievously before pouncing on his mate.

"At least you'll be closer." Were the last words to make it out of Tom's mouth before it was crushed by Harry's.


	3. Arriving In Styles

**A/N:** So sorry this took so long! I'd origionally planned to put this up at the beginning of the week, but a rather bad case of food poisoning ruined that. I hope this can satisfy everyone for a couple more days. Hopefully another chapter will be up on maybe Monday or Tuesday, granted I have no control over my life right now! And the chapters will be just a tad shorter for the time being.

Thankyou again to everyone who reviewed, and all those wonderful people who put this on alert and added it to their favourites! Please REVIEW, they make me squel with giddy happiness and ensure that I do whatever is in my power to get the next chapter up a.s.a.p.

**Chapter Three-- Arriving In Style**

Mere Swiner was positively seething as she read the copy of The Daily Prophet that her cousin, Lonah, had sent her from Britain. It detailed the attack that had occurred on Durmstrang just a few days earlier. It was blown out of proportion, she knew, but still she was _pissed off_. Her amber eyes snapped up as someone walked into the kitchen, yawning. "Harry…"

Harry blinked away the last signs of sleep and focused on his friend, confidante and almost sister with a surprising intensity. "Bon jour, Mere."

She frowned at a slightly visible bruise on his neck. "Is that a hickey?"

Emerald eyes blinked slowly before a hand flew up to cover the mark. "Um…if I say 'no' can we pretend it's not there? Mum'll kill me."

"Perhaps. But do you care to explain this?" She held the Prophet out to him and watched as he sat down and began to read it.

_**Attack on European Wizarding School!**_

_Several days ago, the Ministry received word that He Who Must Not Be Named launched an attack against Durmstrang, a Wizarding school in Bulgaria. By the time officials arrived to review and aid the school, the Dark Lord's forces were retreating, having been pushed back by the sixth and seventh year students._

_Although the Minister has placed a censorship on the reality of the attack, this reporter believes that her avid readers would prefer truth to the skeletal facts that have been reported in so far._

_Approximately seventy Death Eaters arrived on the school's grounds, via portkey, during a time of day in which most students are participating in outside classes or activities. They then proceeded to attempt to maim and terrorise the students. The reasons behind this attack are unknown, as You Know Who has shown little interest in any Wizarding colonies outside of the United Kingdom._

_When it appeared that all was lost, the experienced sixth and seventh years, using a variety of both light and borderline dark curses and spells, were able to repel the Death Eaters long enough for the younger years to return to safety within the winding corridors of the school._

_Cornelius Fudge, our Minister for Magic, had only this to say: "After reviewing the battle field, the Auror Department has come to the conclusion that the school is no longer habitable. We will be aiding our comrades in their time of need."_

_The Bulgarian Minister for Magic, Christof Krum, said this in reply: "We will not need Britain's aid. It is not that we are not thankful for the offer, but the Guild Council has kindly offered their assistance in beginning the planning and reconstruction of Durmstrang."_

_The Guild Council consists of twenty-one pairs of voted members from each of the Guild's: Wichards, Mages, Healers, Masters, Spies, Assassins, Angels, Demons, Courtesans, Werefolk and Vampires. They have, in the past, given aid in times of war and strife. However, until now they have shown little interest in this, the second war against He Who Must Not Be Name, arguably the most powerful Dark Lord in the past century._

_When the battle at Durmstrang had ended, Healers and Mages appeared, immediately setting to work in aiding the injured. If it were not for the Healers, it is most likely that several fatalities would have occurred. The Mages are currently helping to clear the rubble and collect personal affects of the students._

_It has been revealed that it could take approximately one year to rebuild Durmstrang._

_For now the first, second, third and fourth year students will be residing at Beauxbatons in France until the school is once more inhabitable. There have been talks between Minister Fudge, Albus Dumbledore and Minister Krum about allowing the fifth, sixth and seventh years to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Our thoughts go out to those families affected by the attack_

By Rita Skeeter

Harry raised an eyebrow as he read over the article. The journalist had sensationalised the 'attack' making it sound more dangerous than it had been. In actuality, the danger had been for the Death Eaters who had been warned that if they seriously injured anyone they would be facing some rather painful consequences. Harry himself had been careful to not let them see him, more than one had seen him wandering around Tom's various residences.

He raised emerald eyes to meet Mere's and shrugged. "So? What are you so hyped up about?" He chucked the paper onto the table and stood up, going to the fridge and pouring them each a glass of orange juice. "She exaggerated, sure, but it isn't going to bother many people."

Mere glared at him. "Did you look at the photo?"

"No. Why?"

She sighed, picking the paper up and pointing to a small, but clear photo. "It's you."

"What?" he grabbed it back and peered closely at it. There, amidst dozens of other seventh years, was him. His eyes were blazing and as his picture self moved, the faint outline of a pair of shimmering wings could be glimpsed. "No one's going to look that closely…"

"But you're not sure, are you?"

"No, I'm not."

"Well," she said as she stood up and stretched. "We don't have all that much time to worry about it. Though I do wish you would control that little impulse of yours." As she turned to leave, she called back over her shoulder, "oh, and don't forget, we leave today!"

Harry glared at her retreating back. "It's not impulse! It's magic!"

"That's what they all say!"

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Hermione Granger nervously clasped her hands together and straightened her shoulders. To be honest, this was the most nerve-wracking thing she had ever had to do. And Daniel Potter certainly wasn't helping things.

"Why couldn't they just portkey here? It's not that hard is it? Nooo."

Daniel was probably the most obnoxious, whiny and idiotic human being she had ever met, and would probably ever meet. He had flaming red hair that rivalled the Weasley clan, pale skin and harsh hazel eyes. His voice was even harsher, since he rarely gave any compliments to anyone unless what they had done was good for him in some way. Which meant that, as a Ravenclaw and a muggle born, she was someone he picked on constantly.

"Hey, Granger!"

Although, she had to admit, her skin was thicker because of him.

"What, Potter?"

"When are they getting here?"

She rolled her eyes and chose to look back over the lake instead of answering. They were expecting them to arrive by boat like they had for the Triwizard Tournament. When she had read the article in the Prophet, her heart had immediately gone out to them. The horror they must have felt at facing those Death Eaters. And the older students had simply stepped in and held them back. She was curious, though, as to why the Guild Council refused to aid Britain.

"They'll get here soon, I expect son. After all, we are kind enough to give them a home for the year."

And that would be James Potter. In her mind the father was almost as bad as the son. Although, to be honest, James was probably the reason Daniel was so arrogant.

"Truly. So why shouldn't they speed up already?"

Shaking her head, Hermione glanced over the students who were hanging around the lake, hoping to catch the first glimpse of the Durmstrang ship. As she did, her eyes caught sight of something odd in the sky. A dark shape, moving rather haphazardly had her thinking that maybe the Weasley family owl, Errol, had been sent with a letter. Or maybe even a Howler.

But as it got closer, it got bigger and she soon realised that it wasn't an owl, but something large and being pulled by something else. Several minutes passed and still, it didn't seem to be any closer, yet it continued to enlarge. Curious, she turned to Albus Dumbledore. "Headmaster, what is that?" She pointed up into the sky, causing the pale blue eyes to follow her line of sight.

"Ah, my dear girl, I believe that may be them." He sounded delighted, but inwardly, Dumbledore was fuming. The Headmaster had assured him they would arrive the same as the Triwizard, as the boat was large enough to carry the three years worth of students that would be arriving. However, it seemed he had been lied to. Well, he could wait until later to rectify this situation.

The students began to crowd around and Hermione huffed. "Potter, help me set up a perimeter."

"And why would I want to do that, Granger?" Daniel sneered at her, his hazel eyes coldly glaring down at her.

Hermione frowned, before turning and forcing her way through the throngs of students. Raising her wand and bringing it down with a swift, sharp motion, a shimmering blue line appeared before the students. Several tried to move forward but found that they were refused that movement by an invisible force. Daniel looked positively livid as the Professors thanked her and rewarded ten points to Ravenclaw for her quick and concise method of insuring student safety.

There was a sudden shrieking noise and Hermione looked up to see what appeared to be a flying horse hovering above the school gates.

"Anyone ever 'eard of droppin' the damn wards!"

Dumbledore waved his wand and the horse flew inside followed by three more. The four flew low over the heads of the students who gasped out loud. The purebloods, however, stood shocked still with wide eyes. The horses themselves, or more correctly, pegasi, were gliding around the castle, several flashes of magic seen. Hermione could only assume that they were checking for something, though what she couldn't fathom.

When they reached the students again, they set themselves down just in front of the barrier that had been raised. One reached out with a gloved hand and pressed it against the invisible wall of magic. "It's good. Who cast it?" The voice had a slight Scottish lilt to it, causing the words to roll elegantly off their tongue.

"I did." Hermione spoke softly, biting her lip in nervousness.

She was given a small smile, brilliant emerald eyes dancing with silent laughter. "Wards aren't something taught at this school…"

"I showed her!"

The emerald eyes shifted and the teen's body froze instantly. "Potter."

Daniel stuck his chin out defiantly. "That's right. Daniel Potter to be exact."

An eyebrow rose in a surprisingly sarcastic expression. "Really, now? The famous Boy Who Lived graces us with his presence? My, should I be bowing and scraping now?"

Daniel's faces began to go red and James stepped forward, opening his mouth only to be cut off as a gigantic carriage entered the school grounds. It was being pulled by a team of twenty pegasi, their wings beating furiously as they turned in a large circle over the gathered students. The emerald-eyed teen immediately wheeled his horse around, the wings snapping open and it launched itself into the air.

Hermione frowned. The sound of the wings opening was distinctly similar to metal sliding along metal. As she looked closer to the three still on the ground, she noticed a faint glimmer to their bodies. Whispering an incantation, she flicked her wand towards her face. Instantly her eyesight became filled with colourful wisps. The aura of magic was almost blinding, particularly the wall she had used to keep the students back. But she forced herself to look closely at the beautiful equine creatures before her. She was right about the metal sound; it appeared as if there was a powerful glamour hiding what they really looked like. The wings, bar the flight feathers, were covered in thin silver armour. The rest of the bodies, except their legs, were coated in the same armour. Raising her wand she ended the spell and blinked a few times.

Looking up she saw that the large black carriage was still moving in a slow circle above them. On the back of each of the twenty pegasi, was a hooded and cloaked figure, directing each animal separately. Flying around it was approximately seven other riders; three broke off and flew to the front line of the carriage pullers, saying something she couldn't hear. But it was fairly obvious when the carriage stopped circling and climbed several metres into the air before hovering.

The remaining four flew incredibly close, grabbing onto ropes that unfurled from the rear of the carriage. They then attached it to what looked like a metallic loop sticking out of nothing on the chests of the horses. Knowing that they had armour, Hermione reasoned that this 'loop' was obviously attached to that. When they had finished, those four rose above the carriage, while it began a fast descent towards the ground. As the first pair hit the ground they immediately trotted forwards to be followed by the second.

The four at the rear, however, began to beat their wings hard, effectively keeping the carriage from crashing to the ground. But when the fifth pair landed, the carriage jolted and dropped a full metre. The emerald-eyed teen suddenly reappeared, he moved his hand and a coil of chain links appeared, dropping to the roof and fastening itself. He then followed the same process as the other four and connected it to the front of his steed.

Hermione watched avidly as the carriage was lowered to the ground, the ropes and chains dropping and vanishing from sight. The five riders, landed lightly on the ground. The door to the black carriage had a beautiful image of a Pegasus on the door, engraved in gold. It wasn't what one would expect from Durmstrang, but then again, no one had expected the real, solid, pegasi either.

Dumbledore stepped forward and waved his wand carelessly at the shield before him. When the magic simply flared and stubbornly remained, he turned to Hermione and frowned. "Miss Granger, if you may?"

Hermione blushed and flicked her wand; the magic was sucked into the ground and absorbed by Hogwarts. "Sorry."

"Never mind, my dear girl." He turned back and smiled brightly as the carriage door swung open and the Durmstrang students exited, preceded by a middle aged man with scruffy light brown hair and kind amber eyes. Beside him was a beautiful witch with long auburn locks and jade eyes the exact same shape as the emerald-eyed rider.

Hermione wondered if Dumbledore even noticed any of this.

"Welcome, to Hogwarts!"

A girl with honey blonde hair and sharp amber eyes snorted. "He makes it sound _soo_ amazing!"

The students near her smothered their laughs behind their hands. Dumbledore frowned and addressed the adults. "That is not a way students should talk to their hosts. But, nevertheless, I hope your journey wasn't too tiresome?"

The amber-eyed man frowned at Dumbledore while the witch whispered something to him. "The journey was fine, Albus. I'm afraid our students are still on the defensive after the attack."

"It's fine, fine. All in good fun I'm sure. Well, we had best get your students settled in their new dorm. I believe we have a meeting scheduled?"

This time it was the witch who frowned. She turned and said something to the other wizard, who nodded, before making her way to where the riders still sat on the pegasi. She walked up to the emerald-eyed teen and said in a clear voice designed to be heard. "Please settle them in, then meet me in the Headmasters office. I'm sure someone can point you in the right direction."

The teen nodded, steering his Pegasus over to where the others were unhitching the rest from the carriage.

The Hogwarts students parted as the adults led the Durmstrang students into the school. They were curious as to the cloaks they all wore, gold writing sat around the hood but they couldn't catch the words.

Hermione watched them go, snorting at the way Daniel stuck his nose in the air and followed his father. Sighing with the realisation that she would need to attend this 'meeting', she consoled herself with the knowledge that the new dorm was on the opposite side of the school and the new students would probably cause a ruckus on the way.

"Your ward was pretty impressive."

She jumped and turned to see the emerald-eyed teen again. He was holding the reigns of his Pegasus loosely in one hand. His head was cocked to the side and his eyes felt like they were boring into her soul. "Thankyou. My name is Hermione Granger. I'm the Head Girl, so feel free to ask me for help. Potter is hopeless. He only got it because of Dumbledore."

He laughed, a rich musical sound that had her sighing inwardly. He must be a real Casanova at his school. "Oh, I don't doubt that for a minute. Fame has a funny way of going to people's heads." He smiled and stuck his hand out. "Harry Evans by the way."

"A pleasure, Harry." She frowned then. "I can call you that, right?"

"Of course. I'm not picky about that."

She smiled at him before something caught her interest. "Evans you said? I remember seeing a Lily Evans in one of the yearbooks. Is she a relative?"

He reached up and patted the Pegasus. For the first time she noticed that it was a deep grey colour. "My mother actually."

"Oh. Was she the red haired witch?"

"Yeah." He laughed softly. "She's our Charms teacher. Demanded that if the Headmaster got to come then she was coming so we could keep up with our own curriculum."

"Is it so different from ours?"

"It is, yeah. For one, the particular ward spell you used is taught as a sixth year spell. We have more diverse classes for the upper years than you guys do. Probably because most of it isn't illegal in Bulgaria."

"Oh…"

He looked at her curiously. "You're a muggle born aren't you?"

Hermione frowned, a flutter of worry settling in her chest. "Why?"

"No reason. Most muggle borns aren't as magically adept as you are. Don't worry, it's a compliment. Blood purity is fairly null and void when it comes to me." He looked behind him at his fellow students. "I have to go. These guys get pretty testy after awhile and the flight was rather odd. I'll see you later…Hermione?"

"Hermione. Bye, Harry."

Hermione turned and walked back into the school. She couldn't help but think that, somehow, this year was going to be interesting. After all, if James Potter's ex-wife and her son turned up…she wondered if Lily Evans was married to the amber eyed Headmaster.

**A/N:** For all those people curious as to how Harry became an Assassin, and want to know more on his younger years, I'm currently writing a whole chapter to explain those things. BUT. It is in chapter ten cringes, which I realise is a far few chapters away, but patience is a virtue! As for how Tom and Harry met, that won't be for a few chapters after that one. But there will be a bit more interaction between the two in the next few chapters! If you have any questions, please feel free to review and ask them. It's the little button on the left under this. ;-p


	4. Meetings and Weasley Mistakes

**A/N:**Tahdah! Hopefully everyone's questions, or at least some of them, will be answered here. As to where Sirius and Pettigrew are…well, that won't come for ages! Thankyou to everyone who reviewed, you make me so happy when I see those reviews! I'm up to chapter eleven now too!

Oh, and maybe I should mention that there will be some Dumbles bashing in this fic. Currently very unimpressed by the actions of the Headmaster in the canonverse and this has been transferred into all my fics.

Enjoy! And review!

**EDIT (22-4-08):** Erin, in one of her reviews, pointed out that I made a mistake with Lily's name. I had it as Lily Evans nee Lupin. It's been fixed now.

**Chapter Four-- Meetings, and Weasley Mistakes**

Remus Lupin was distinctly reminded of all the times he had been brought up to the Headmasters office over his seven years of school, most due to pranks the Marauders had accomplished. Not much had changed over the years he had been away. But if he was honest, his office was so much more personal and comforting to anxious students. The million and one gadgets whirring away was grating on his hypersensitive ears.

Lily laid a hand on his arm as they sat down in two of the chairs and he smiled gratefully at her. When he had lost her to James he had been devastated. Now, though, her scent and calming presence surrounded him and calmed his wolf self to the point where he rarely, if ever, had a violent episode. She was a godsend and he was eternally grateful.

James and Daniel settled themselves in the remaining two seats while Dumbledore stepped around his desk. He raised a gnarled hand and Fawkes trilled, twice. Satisfied, the old wizard sat and looked over his half-moon spectacles at the people facing him. James was barely restraining his curiosity over who the other two were. Daniel, however, had neither the patience nor the courtesy to wait.

"Who the hell are you two?"

Lily looked taken aback and Remus frowned at the obviously spoiled seventeen year old. "I am Remus Lupin, Headmaster of Durmstrang Academy of Magic. This is Lily Lupin nee Evans, my wife and our Charms Professor."

"Wife?!"

James' face had gone red and his fingers clenched around the arms of the chair, turning the knuckles white.

"Yes, wife. As in, divorced from you and married to Remus." Lily barely held in the smirk that almost graced her lips.

The other wizard couldn't hold his rage and he whipped his wand out, jumping up and towering over Remus, said wand pointing menacingly at his throat. "Remus…do tell me Lily is simply delirious."

As Dumbledore tried to disable the situation, Harry was making his way to that very office. Hermione had kindly given him directions and a password for the stone gargoyle. Stepping onto the moving stairs, his nose twitched with the scent of danger. Sprinting up the stairs he opened the door and growled at what he saw.

Dumbledore looked up as the door opened, revealing the young emerald-eyed wizard who had ridden one of the pegasi. The emerald eyes flashed and began to swirl with gold as he growled, before stalking into the room.

"I hope you aren't planing on using that, Potter."

Remus looked up and saw Harry standing nearby, his eyes bright and every now and then, due to his enhanced eyesight, he caught brief glimpses of the teen's aura. It had always been a curious sight for him, because Harry couldn't hold parts of himself when he lost the tight control he held over his magic. Shimmering faintly, and invisible to normal eyes, was a pair of magnificent wings. The iridescent shine to the leathery folds made them look remarkably similar to fairy wings. Which, considering Hecatamae were distantly related to the species, was not so strange to an educated individual.

Dumbledore stepped around his desk, coming dangerously close to the black and red aura surrounding Harry. "If I may ask why you have seen fit to intrude on this private meeting, Mr…?"

Green-gold eyes narrowed at him, the voice deathly low and the words coming out in an odd growl. "Dumbledore. I have every right to attend this…meeting. Though, from here it looks more like a one-sided accusation against my father. I am the Head Boy at Durmstrang. And, as _your_ Head Boy is here, I expect Hermione, as _your_ Head Girl to be arriving any moment now."

James whipped around and levelled his wand on Harry, causing Remus to growl in anger. "Son? They could have no _son_. You are the same age as my Daniel."

Harry sneered. "Precisely."

"Then…no."

"Smart, isn't he?"

Lily smiled at her son and waved him over, conjuring another chair for him to sit beside her. "Now, now. What was it you agreed on?"

A frown creased his brow, the swirl of gold retreating to a thin line around the iris. "Not to patronise and annoy any staff or students of Hogwarts while they remain hospitable, until such time in which they threaten my, or my peers, safety."

The witch gave him pat on the arm, earning herself a threatening glare.

"But," he continued, in a suddenly bright voice. "They aren't _being_ hospitable at all, are they? A wand levelled at me is hardly a show of hospitality, no matter which country you gave from. Unless, of course, Britain's in worse shape than we thought."

Just as James was opening his mouth to word a spell, Dumbledore stepped smoothly in the path of any magic and gestured the older wizard to sit back down. "While this…promise is interesting, Mr Lupin, I insist that you refrain from antagonizing James. Things here are stressful enough as it is."

Remus blinked. "I wasn't doing anything!"

The old wizard frowned. "I was not speaking to you, Remus, but Harry."

"I didn't know that anyone could change my surname." Harry mused, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Excuse me?" Daniel turned and looked at his…twin. "If our…_mother_ married someone, than _your_ last name is the same as theirs."

Daniel looked far too proud and smug and Harry couldn't help the sudden urge to strangle him. Which, while compelling, would only land him in trouble. "Mum married Remus Lupin last year. I'm not a Lupin. I'm an Evans, Potter."

The door creaked open and Hermione slipped in, sending an apologetic glance at Dumbledore as she did. "Sorry, Headmaster. Apparently some of the Gryffindor's aren't taking too kindly to our new guests. A duel was breaking out a few corridors over from here. I think that maybe, there ought to be something said tomorrow at breakfast."

"Thankyou, Miss Granger for that suggestion. Please, have a seat." With a small flick of his wand, a chair was conjured, placing her between the two obviously _warring_ sides.

"Thankyou."

"Now," Dumbledore began in a formal tone. "We shall get down to business. Hogwarts will be playing host to the upper three years of Durmstrang until such time in which their school is rebuilt and considered inhabitable. For the duration of this stay, Durmstrang students are going to have to obey the rules like any other student. There is a notice within the dorms informing them of these rules."

Harry raised an eyebrow. _Like we're going to take any notice._

The old wizard steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them, looking over his half-moon glasses at the group before him. "The students will also need to attend classes, and will be sorted into the class groups tomorrow when they receive their timetables. James will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, Minerva McGonagall, my Deputy and the Head of Gryffindor House, will be teaching Transfiguration. Filius Flitwick, the Head of Ravenclaw House will be teaching Charms, Pomona Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff House, for Herbology, Sybil Trelawny for Divinations."

Harry choked on a snort. Divinations? These people honestly taught how to read the future?

"Aurora Sinistra will be teaching them Astronomy, Severus Snape for Potions, Rubeus Hagrid is our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, and Professor Bounsa for Ancient Runes, as well as Professor Sulas to teach them Arithmancy." He gave a twinkling smile, ignoring the furious looks on Lily, Remus and Harry's faces. "I trust they will enjoy their time here. That is all I believe."

Lily's jade eyes flashed angrily. "Albus, you know damn well that the Ministry has allowed us to teach Charms and Defence to our students!"

James gave a slow, satisfied smile as he let his dark eyes rest on Harry. "Doesn't seem to be happening Lily. I will enjoy teaching them, and my long lost _son_."

Harry rolled his eyes and slumped a little in his seat. "I hardly think you could teach any of us anything about Defence that we don't already know. We did take on Death Eaters you know, and our curriculum is a little more informative and advanced than yours."

"Skeeter makes things interesting for her readers. Doesn't make them true."

"Sure, I mean, the danger wasn't for us. Those Death Eaters were facing two years worth of highly trained students. And we don't skimp on the slightly darker curses. Makes battle more interesting when you see the fear in their eyes." Harry inwardly winced at his words. He sounded decidedly dark. It wasn't the way he wanted to come across, because he refused to be dark, but James was beginning to piss him off.

"I could teach you manners, you ungrateful son of a--."

"THAT IS ENOUGH!!" Hermione's face was red with both the anger and shame she was feeling. The two emotions were in violent opposition, because she was angry at the audacity of her Headmaster and Professor. But she was also ashamed because she had yelled at said Professor.

Dumbledore gave Hermione a stern look before sweeping his gaze about the room. Fawkes was watching Harry in a most curious way, leaning forward as if he wanted to inspect the wizard closer. But, the boy wasn't a wizard. If his memory served him correctly, than young Harry was a hybrid werewolf-Hecatamus. A dangerous individual to have within Hogwarts. But if he rejected the boy, then the Bulgarian Ministry would refuse to work with Britain, and there were things they needed which could only be obtained there.

"Nevertheless, they will attend the classes along with their Hogwarts year mates. The teaching of your own curriculum will have to take place outside of class hours. Now, there are many things I will need to finish. The students have today and tomorrow off so that they may get to know each other. I bid you good day."

Harry huffed as he stood and followed Remus and Lily out of the room. He was sorely tempted to remind the meddling fool just what he was. But Hermione didn't know, and she was obviously up to Durmstrang standards, when it came to ward spells at least. He didn't want to be forced to work with two unwilling students. His brother he could deal with.

Hermione pulled him aside as they stepped out of the office, patiently waiting as he said goodbye to his mum and Remus and glared at the two Potter's. She waited a moment before fixing his emerald eyes with her own dark ones. "Why didn't you mention you were related to Potter?"

He leaned against the wall and gave her a casual shrug. "I don't classify myself as related to them in any way. It may be James Potter's genes that helped create me, and Daniel may be my younger twin, but I'm not related to them."

"What happened?"

A small smile was her first indication, and what he said was the next, "I'm not in the habit of telling just anyone my life story, nor the secrets I harbour." Harry Evans wasn't going to be telling her anything any time soon.

"Well then, I suppose I should get to know you, and earn your trust. I wouldn't criticise you, you know."

"I didn't think you would, Hermione. And I know this will sound silly, but, even though I like you and you seem all right, my peers will see anyone with those school robes on as an enemy. It's the way we are, the way we survive. It'll take awhile to earn anyone's trust."

"We have almost a year, don't we?"

He laughed. It wasn't the melodious sound she had heard earlier, but a sharp, biting bark. "I suppose we do. I'll see you later. I'd better see how our Head Girl is dealing with the all the ruckus. Farewell, Hermione."

"Good bye Harry."

As Hermione watched him walk away toward the Durmstrang dorms, she could have sworn she saw a pair of wings protruding from his back.

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Harry trailed his fingers along the cold stone walls as he passed through another corridor. He could feel Hogwarts humming around him, could feel her through the very stones he touched. He briefly wondered whether any other students could sense the ancient, most likely sentient, entity that surrounded them. But then he pushed the thought away, he was a Hecatamus and, as such, he sensed what others could not. But all the same, he loved the small flickers of magic coursing up his arm and warming his body.

There was a tingle in his mind before a rush of love and passion swamped his senses. _Harry?_

Emerald eyes closed a moment. _Tom. I didn't think I would be hearing from you for a while yet._

_You're in the same building as Dumbledore; I'm not likely to stop from watching now._

_No privacy?_

_None._

The passion flared and his nerves were suddenly on fire. He could dimly feel what felt like fingers brushing over his stomach, under the shirt and robes he wore. _Oh god..._

There was happiness rushing alongside the desire. _Are you alone?_

Harry forced himself to open his eyes, only to take an involuntary step back as he stared at a blue-eyed red haired wizard. _Not really. Hold on a sec._

The wizard sneered before he brought his wand up. "_Petrificus totalus!_"

Harry's muscles tensed and froze. His eyes widened briefly, before he began to struggle against the spell. But the desperate desire burning in his veins made it hard to simply absorb the magic as he normally did, and so he was briefly at the mercy of this unknown wizard.

The redhead stepped closer, a fist suddenly slamming into Harry's ribs several times in quick succession. One cracked under the pressure and he bit back a whimper of pain.

_Harry? Harry!_

_Tom..._

_Harry what's happening?_

_I don't know...someone...someone's attacking me._

_I'll pull it back._

_Thankyou._ The desire vanished suddenly, leaving the anger of his wolf self and the indignation of the Hecatamus swirling within him.

"You're nothing but a pathetic Death Eater, trying to steal the glory from Dan. But don't worry, we'll put you in Azkaban where you belong." He stuck his face in Harry's and smirked. "I hear they let the prisoners commune together once a day. I'm sure the inmates would enjoy you."

The leering glimmer in the blue eyes was all Harry could take. With a swift tug, the spell was absorbed through his skin, the power behind it directed at his eyes, which began to glow like the tip of a wand before _Avada Kedavra_ was spoken. The red head took a step back, surprised by the touch of powerful magic against his own skin.

Harry leaned forward slightly, pushing himself off the wall. "I don't think so. Maybe if I show them what you just did, they might throw you in there. A virgin wouldn't last long would they?"

Harry could feel Tom watching through his own eyes and allowed him to, as the wizard turned and fled back down the corridor. _Do you know who he was?_

Tom growled in anger, the sound reverberating down the mental link they shared._ A Weasley. Ron Weasley to be exact. A friend of Potter's._

_Hmm. I seem to remember you ranting about someone named Weasley last year. Is this him?_

_Yes. He stopped Potter from falling into a trap I had. Infuriatingly Gryffindor._

Harry laughed mentally; he could picture the pout on his mate's face all too clearly. _I better go see how the pack is doing._

_I'm staying here, Harry. I don't want to risk you being harmed._

_I can handle it, you know._

_You didn't then._

_That was all your fault!_

_Of course, just shift the blame._

Harry scowled before moving off down the corridor.

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Mere was not in the mood to deal with whining fifth year brats. She was glad the school had been halved up, but the fifteen-year-old teens were whinging about how they had to converse with their friends through _owls_, which, of course, was not something they would do frequently as their owls were being housed in an _Owlery_. Which was odd for them.

The whole school was slightly off-kilter. They had been attacked for god sakes!

The portrait hole--honestly, a _portrait hole_?!--opened and revealed Harry, who stepped inside with a scowl of his face. The whole room went silent then, this was such a rare occurrence the younger teens wouldn't know what to do. But she did.

"Harry? What was the meeting about?"

Harry looked up and met her amber eyes, his own emeralds still glowing slightly. It told her that he had taken magic from a spell cast by someone else and that all that power had been directed towards his eyes, and that it still lingered. "Full of bullshit. Dumbledore is a crack pot old fool who obviously thinks he literally rules this school."

She raised an eyebrow. "When you say it like that it sounds like school yard rivalry."

He levelled a glare at her. "We have to attend _all_ classes with Hogwarts."

There were several cries of 'what' before she managed to calm the distressed students. "What about Charms and Defence? Your mum and Lupin were going to teach us all that."

"They can. But only outside of class hours. The actual _classes_ are with the other students." When the noise started again, he raised his voice above it. "Mum tried to explain that the Ministry had agreed that those two classes could be taught separately. But, nooo, we have to take it with everyone else!"

It was the sudden dimming of the glow in his eyes and the pained wince that alerted her. The other students immediately became silent, several sixth and seventh years standing and moving closer.

"Harry? Harry what's wrong?"

The emerald in his eyes dimmed and changed, becoming an odd mix of green and red. They had all seen this enough times to know that the next words spoken wouldn't be Harry's, but his mate, Tom.

"A student, a Gryffindor to be precise, attacked Harry. He has several broken ribs, I believe."

Mere's amber eyes widened and she shot over just as Harry took a shuddering breath and gave a harsh cough. "Oh my god. Why didn't you tell us?"

Harry didn't speak as he was levitated into the adjoining rooms. The set up for the Durmstrang students differed greatly from that of the Hogwarts houses. For one, they got to choose who went with whom. The years and sexes were mixed, something that always happened at their school. At the beginning of each year, they could choose whom they wanted to spend the year with. Only the first years had no choice, as there was seven to a room and the sexes were separated.

The only problem with these was the colours. Red and Gold. _Bright_ red and _glittering_ gold.

The students who had followed carefully closed the door and placed several locking and privacy charms on it. It wasn't that they didn't trust their own, just that they had no idea as to the shield strength on their mental walls. They couldn't risk just anyone rifling through their minds and finding information that could endanger them.

Mere bit her lip and watched as another witch moved her wand in an intricate pattern, red glowing over Harry's chest. "He has four broken ribs. Frightfully close to puncturing a lung too."

"They'll die. I swear." Another wizard growled, his eyes flashing gold a moment.

"Darren, calm down." She turned to the witch by Harry and nodded. "Marci, can you heal them? Rather not take him to the hospital ward."

Marci gave her a small, grim smile. "Of course I can. And I doubt their Medi-witch or wizard would heal him. They would probably call on Dumbles to explain why he's here."

Darren shook his head. "We're gonna have to be careful. All of us." He looked around at the nine students gathered.

"The pack will stick together. But they're gonna be after Harry. He's James Potter's son and the older twin of the Boy Who Lived. Things aren't going to be easy." Mere sighed and sat down on her own bed, right beside Harry's. "This year is going to be hard."


	5. Strike One, Two To Go

**A/N:** Hey! I felt like maybe I should reward all my readers with a new chapter, because you guys make me feel so loved! Thankyou to everyone who reviewed, read, or put this story on alert on even your favourites list. This story has been hit over 4,000 times and...really, there are no words to express how grateful I am. I hope you guys enjoy the new chapter, and the sort of mini introduction to another important...individual.

For anyone who was wondering why the Durmstrang students, Remus and Lily didn't contact their own Ministry about Dumbledore's change to their plans, I hope this will be answered just a little more.

**Chapter Five-- Strike One, Two To Go**

It was dark. The moon vainly tried to shine her silvery rays through the curtains surrounding the seven four-poster beds. She failed, of course, and Phanta cried for her. She had always like the moon; she was a great entity. Courageous, beautiful, sad, joyful, secret, mysterious, open. they were all words to use to point her out. Wizards saw her as a large rock that orbited their planet. They saw here as the only way to track and punish Werefolk. They saw her as useful in potions and wards.

But they never saw _her_. Phanta did. She always had. And so did her Master.

She swivelled her head and looked at one of the enclosed beds. Beyond those curtains, she knew not to go right now. He would scowl and frown and glare, he wouldn't hurt her, oh no. But she would feel bad. His mate was far away and they were in danger here. She felt the feathers on her body rise slightly, and she lifted her wings. They were gossamer, perfect, shimmery things. They caught the light of the moon.

A movement in the shadows caught her attention and a large Persian suddenly appeared. Phanta cooed slightly and the cat turned pale blue eyes on her. She stopped and waited, patiently, silently, for the other to communicate. A low purr echoed about the room and she beat her wings in giddy joy. Tiny wings, furry, with feathers, flapped twice on the cat. Large paws, huge, big enough to catch bad people, flexed and it padded silently across to her. It sat below her, gazing up with glowing eyes.

Ferio. She liked Ferio. He was strong and swift, he could hunt and protect. He was her Master's pack mate's familiar. He was family.

Phanta cooed again and raised her head back up. Her onyx eyes glittered as her silver body glowed. The touch of the moon was hers, special, unique. She shared it with her Master, only him, no one else. But Master's mate was special, unique, mysterious. She like the smell of him. He talked to her, hissing and crooning. He cared for her Master, he held him, protected him, _loved him_.

Phanta was many things, she knew. She was special, oh yes, she was special. Her Master was special. He was many things. He had to be protected. Here, where Old Long Beard could get him, use him.

She was many things. But most of all, Phanta was Harry Evans' familiar.

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Mere yawned and rested her cheek on her fist, blearily blinking and glaring half-heartedly at Darren. The wolf was infuriating. He smirked at her and continued to pile food on his plate. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, sighing as her amber eyes glided over the hall.

Hogwarts was odd. Everything about it was somehow twisted, like the original concept had been lost over the centuries. She supposed it had. The Founder's probably hadn't wanted any of this; they had wanted to teach, despite their later arguments.

Something warm and solid brushed against her shins and she smiled slightly, a hand sliding down to rest on the head of her familiar, Ferio. The velvety fur was soft, and she carded her fingers through it, wondering where Harry was and how long it would take him to come down and stop Darren from dying from all the food he was eating.

A slight shift in those around her, a tensing of muscles and the jumping of magic, caused her to glance up, following their line of sight until she saw what was causing the commotion. With a soft growl, she jumped up and strode over to the Entrance Hall doors, Ferio padding silently behind her.

Levelling her amber eyes on the group of Gryffindor's, her voice came out silkily, but hard as steel. "And what are we doing here, boys? Didn't your mummy's ever teach you not to hurt girls?"

The Durmstrang fifth year sent her a grateful smile, and scampered away to join her fellows. One of the Gryffindor's, with a head of frightfully shocking reddish-orange hair, sneered and grabbed the edges of her cloak, yanking her forward and then pushing her into the stone walls outside the Hall.

"I don't think you should talk to us like that." His friends stepped closer. "Especially when you are outnumbered."

She caught sight of Daniel in the group. Anger rose to the surface, but before she could speak another did, a brush of dark magic against her skin making her sag slightly.

"I don't think that would be wise."

Harry glared at the boys, his eyes glinting dangerously. Unfortunately the look was ruined by the small silver Faerie Dragon. Phanta was currently curled up on his head, the gossamer wings draping down by his ears and the long tail swinging like a happy dogs might. But the small dragon was watching them all with fathomless eyes.

The red head laughed. "Oh, it's you again. Want me to break a few more ribs? I heard you didn't go to Pomfrey, so they might just be in the right spot to cripple a Death Eater like you."

Emerald eyes flashed angrily. Mere swore before she motioned with her hand. The red head frowned at her in confusion. A low, menacing growl sounded behind them. Ferio fixed him with pale eyes, the brown paws padding silently as he lowered himself into a hunting crouch. The small wings grew slightly, enough so that if he needed to move fast, they would aid him in that endeavour, but not enough for flight.

Phanta raised her head and stood up on top of Harry's head. Her wings rose and flared out around her, a piercing whistle echoing around the Entrance Hall, before the sound bounced into the Great Hall. There was a clatter, and the sound of many people moving, the voices of surprised students and the angry yell of a Hogwarts Professor.

Shooting into the foyer, the seventh year Durmstrang students skidded to a stop. The anger on their faces was expected, but the myriad of creatures was not. There were several wolves, a large serpent, a variety of colourful and powerful birds, including a red and black phoenix, there was even an odd looking dragon with no legs that was floating in a coil above its Masters head.

Mere almost grinned at the look of shock and fear on the Gryffindor's faces. Almost. Even the small elation she had felt then was quickly doused as the redhead grabbed Harry and slammed him into the stone wall, his head cracking backwards into it.

"You Death Eater bastard! Familiars are banned in England!" He leaned in close and hissed, "I'm telling Dumbledore."

Harry shoved him back, the power behind it causing him to slide and crash into one of his friends. Emerald eyes glittered as he looked down at them, a thick gold line surrounding his irises. "It would do you a world of good, _Weasley_, if you were stop harassing my fellow peers."

Darren shoved his way through the crowd, laying a hand on Harry's shoulder and protectively pulling Mere away from the offensive group. She gave him a grateful smile. He was annoying, and ate far too much, but he was one of them and he was useful after all. His dark eyes glimmered a faint gold, as several other pairs of eyes did, and she was suddenly worried for her pack mates.

"They're not worth it. We're here to stay safe, not to fight with ignorant wizards who have nothing better to do than pick on neutral parties."

Harry nodded; his eyes flickered over the Gryffindor's. "Mark my words, if one more Durmstrang student is accosted I'll take this so far over your heads that not even your esteemed Headmaster or your bumbling Minister will be able to save your asses."

Daniel seemed to pale, before he snapped back, "If you're talking about the Guild Council, than you're wrong! They stand by us, by the side of the Light! Not Death Eater wannabes like you!"

Mere snorted, and Harry's lips twitched. "The Guild Council is completely neutral, Potter. They wouldn't stand by one side." She tapped her nose as they all turned and began to file back into the Hall. "It's the balance they care for."

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Dumbledore was fuming. The altercations between the seventh year Gryffindor's and Durmstrang students were becoming increasingly dangerous. And it was the first official day! He couldn't allow it to continue, it was putting both his plans and the students in danger. After all, Remus hadn't denied that they were taught the Dark Arts at his school.

He sighed and looked down at the letter on his desk. It was a reply from Cornelius Fudge to a letter he had sent only that morning. He was grateful that he had had the insight to wrap the man around his proverbial pinkie.

_Dumbledore,_

_Your idea is most likely the best course of action and will promote a more peaceful atmosphere between Hogwarts and Durmstrang. Regretfully, I have not been able to contact Krum, and, as such, I grant you permission to go forward with this plan of yours. _

_Take care though, from all accounts, they are powerful, capable students who hold nothing back. If you find Dark Wizards, inform me immediately. Even the first years have shown an in-depth knowledge of the Dark Arts._

_Cornelius_

He gave a benign smile, before rising from his seat. He turned to Fawkes and sighed, reaching out to stroke his familiar. The red and gold phoenix trilled softly, sadly. "What is wrong, my friend?"

Fawkes looked at him with his onyx eyes and trilled again, several sharp notes before he seemed to coo.

"What I am doing is for the greater good. I must reign in Harry and his friends. My Gryffindor's are in danger from them."

He looked around as a snort issued from the four portraits of the Founders. Salazar gave him a scathing look before pointedly looking away.

"Is something the matter, Salazar?"

Blue eyes narrowed, but he chose not to speak to him. Godric shifted in his frame, his gloved hand stroking over the furry mane of the lion by his side. His own dark eyes were sparking with unleashed anger.

"Godric? What ever have I done?"

The wizard looked at him, but also chose not to speak to him. Rowena and Helga were glaring daggers at him, the eagle and badger within their portraits shifting uneasily.

"Will none of you speak to me?" Silence. "I am the Headmaster!" Still they did not speak. "I command that you SPEAK TO ME!!"

Helga shook her head and sighed. The other three stubbornly ignored his command. "Dear Albus, we are not pleased with you."

"I have done nothing."

"You have done everything!" Salazar's eyes burned with fury. "You will turn the Council away! Do you even realise that?"

Rowena nodded. "It's true, Albus. They have spies everywhere, and they watch your actions. They want to know if you are honest in your dealings with them."

"Of course, he's not." Godric scoffed. "It's always the Light for him. I turn my back on you, Albus."

The four gave him one last look before vanishing from the paintings. He glared at the empty portraits. "How dare you!" When there was no answer, he huffed and turned back to his desk. Fawkes was sitting there, a mournful expression on the beautiful creatures face. "I have done nothing wrong, Fawkes. This will be better for us, you will see my friend."

Fawkes trilled, before vanishing in a bright burst of phoenix fire, leaving a fuming Albus Dumbledore to ponder his next course of action.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Harry stretched his arms above his head; ignoring the indignant hiss Phanta gave him as his hand whacked her wing on the way up. He smirked up at her as her silver head swung down to glare at him. "**You know, upside down, you remind me of a ferret.**"

She hissed angrily and swatted him with her long tail. "**Ferret's are for eating! Not for looking like.**" She gave a sniff and her head vanished to rest once more on top of his hair. "**Besides, from here you smell like bacon. And I do so love bacon.**"

Harry rolled his eyes and continued down the corridor. It was the third day since they had arrived and his muscles were so tense that he had snapped at a first year Hufflepuff. He had immediately apologised and conjured a beautiful white, everlasting, rose; but he still felt bad for it. He jumped at every sound and every single Gryffindor was viewed now as an enemy. It wasn't just the seventh year boys that were posing a threat to them now.

The first years didn't know enough to cause a problem, but the years above them could rally together and cast a single spell, which would result in poor Marci tending to dozens of injuries. Dumbledore had told them to visit the infirmary and a Madam Pomfrey, but he wasn't inclined to allow them to gauge the amount of power and the extent of the Dark Arts knowledge.

He entered the Great Hall silently. The tables were mostly full, as classes resumed today. Every single Durmstrang student was there, many casting covert glances about the hall. They were nervous, and he could smell it in the air. He sighed and passed by the Gryffindor table on his way to his own. For some reason, Dumbledore had believed it a great idea to sit the two tables by each other. Which further proved the fact that he was a delusional old coot.

_It's not like you to jump to conclusions, Harry._

_Tom..._ Harry gave a slight smile as he sat beside Mere, who simply glared at him for even that semblance of a smile. _I miss you._

_I'm always here, in your mind, for anything you need._

A surge of desire set his nerves on fire. He barely managed to hide the flushed look he suddenly gained. _I am in public, you know._

_And that matters to me, why?_

_Because Dumbledore is sitting at the Head Table staring at me?_

_Let me see,_ he hissed in Harry's head.

Relinquishing his tight control of his mind and allowing Tom to see through his own eyes, he felt his head swivel and take in the whole hall, before his mate's presence vanished, only to return in his mind. _Does he suspect who and what you are?_

_I don't think so._ He reached forward and piled his plate with bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast. Grabbing a thin piece of bacon, he lifted it up to Phanta, musing on the idea. _If he did, he would certainly attempt to make living here safe for my peers and me. I told the Council..._

_What has he done?_

_Nothing. And that's the problem._ He looked up as Mere poked him. "Hmm?"

"You're still holding your hand up, you know?" She pulled his arm down from where it had hovered near Phanta. "And I get the feeling Dumbles is up to something."

He looked up to the front and frowned. Dumbledore looked positively gleeful, the twinkle in his eyes bright enough to catch the attention of even the most dim-witted student. "I wonder what he's going to do."

"Something that bodes bad for us, I can tell." Marci sighed and rested her head on her hand. Her pale gold eyes fixed onto Harry. "I'm going to need to train a fifth year if we keep going this way all year."

He nodded, scanning the fifths that sat intermingled with the older students. Protection was high on their minds, and they had attempted to cast a shield spell over their table yesterday, only to find that Dumbledore refused it.

_Perhaps Dumbledore is planning a way on breaking you all up. Together you and your peers are nigh invincible. But alone..._

_We fall slightly._ Harry frowned. _I'll have to stop him from harming them somehow, but without knowing what he's up to, I can do nothing._ He looked up and caught his mother's and Remus' gazes. They gave him a slight frown and shrug, when he looked pointedly at the Headmaster.

They are not aware of anything? I thought everything had to be cleared with them and the Bulgarian Ministry.

_It does._ He blinked and watched as Dumbledore stood, the entire hall becoming silent. _Here we go._

_Hi-ho, hi-ho..._

Harry snorted, gathering several glares from the Gryffindor's, which he merely ignored. _Mature, Tom._

"Welcome, Durmstrang students, to the first official day to your year here at Hogwarts. I judge that the last two days have been less than comfortable, but the Ministry has agreed to try and contain this problem by promoting a more friendly atmosphere between you all."

Harry glared up at him. "Most likely it bodes ill for us."

Darren nodded, the witch beside him frowning as she leaned on his shoulder. "Your mum doesn't look happy."

And she didn't. In fact, Lily looked murderous. But the look wasn't just reserved for Dumbledore it seemed. She had been seated right beside James Potter.

"I wonder if mum even considers removing any semblance of man hood…"

Several students snickered, before silencing as Dumbledore spoke again.

"As you can all see, the Sorting Hat has been placed before you all, a rare act outside of the first night here." He smiled at them, ignoring the murderous gazes the seventh year Durmstrang students were sending his way, it was obvious they knew now what he was up to. "If Minerva could please read the names out, we will sort our guests into their temporary Hogwarts Houses."

Harry's entire being froze then. "NO!"

Lily and Remus stood as well. "Albus, this is unacceptable!"

"I will not allow my students to be subjected to anymore acts of violence!"

The seventh years stood as Harry and Mere made their way towards the front of the hall. Emerald eyes flashed and glowed, gold becoming prominent as they swirled. "As Head Boy, I refuse to allow my peers to be put under this barbaric way of separating students!"

"And as Head Girl, I support this refusal. I am sure that our Headmaster will agree that this is in direct contradiction of the terms set by our Ministry."

Remus nodded, his amber eyes sparking with anger. "Miss Swiner is correct, Albus. It was agreed that they would stay as they were. We are merely staying here, as guests, not students to be placed under this Sorting. You know that."

"Minister Fudge has agreed that it would be the best course of action to resolve the increasingly violent outbursts your students are having towards my own."

Dumbledore looked so smug, and Harry was so angry, that his emerald orbs flashed red for a split second. No one saw it, which was good, but Tom was furious at his old Headmasters audacity.

_He cannot do that! It would place you in more danger!_

James gave what should have been a reassuring grin. "Don't worry, I'm sure the Heads can insure the safety of their new, temporary students."

Remus spun and glared at him. "Our Ministry would never have agreed to this! And I refuse to allow it!"

Dumbledore gave him a cheerful smile, before holding a parchment out. "I think you'll find they did, Remus."

The werewolf read it and paled slightly. He passed it to Lily, who scanned it and passed it on to Harry and Mere with shaking hands.

_Dear Headmaster Albus Dumbledore,_

_Though we regret having to agree to these new terms, we have been left with little choice. As it appears that your own students, particularly those within Gryffindor House, have become hostile, we must assume that three years of Durmstrang students have retaliated._

_You will need to control this prejudice in the future. Our students are highly trained witches and wizards with no fear for causing harm if provoked into an altercation._

_So, we are sad to agree to your ideas, but, as stated, we have no choice left. We allow you to Sort our students into your House system. But we request that you allow them to continue their correct studies in a way suitable for them, which means that they will require unrestricted access to the more dangerous and darker books within your library. _

_These are our terms._

_Christof Krum_

Harry's head shot up and he stared in disbelief down at the ratty looking Sorting Hat. Mere gave him a sad smile, before turning and walking back down to their table. "So we will be forced to sit with those who have attempted to harm us?"

Remus gave him a slow nod, anger burning in his eyes.

He abruptly spun, allowing the letter to flutter to the ground. He stalked back to their table where Mere waited for him. Taking a deep breath, he addressed his peers. "We are to be Sorted."

There was an instant outcry. The seventh years, who had remained standing, began to move in a defensive gesture, automatically surrounding the fifth years, who looked absolutely terrified at the idea.

"We have no choice." Mere said softly, her amber eyes dark with anger. "But it does not mean that any of you will be left alone. We cannot contest this decision, as Krum has agreed to it."

"In addition," Harry raised his voice. "We will have access to the Restricted section in their library, which, as we well know, contains rare books that would aid us in our studies."

"It is still too much! Ve vill have no defence against them!"

"We will find a way." Marci looked paler than usual, possibly because she knew that there would be more injuries. "We always do."

How will I protect them, Tom, if I have to watch every student of the House I end up in?

_I don't know._

**A/N: **Yay! See, look? A little more plot, a little more mystery, a little bit more to question! Sorry, but the time in the chapters will slow down alot, at least for a few. I'm currently finishing off chapter twelve, so we don't have to worry about me suddenly having writer's block, or as I like to call it, _authoras blockus_, because I already have chapters ready! And I think maybe cutting down on sugar would be wise...


	6. Sorting

**A/N: **Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I love you all! -gives big gigantic hug to every single person who has ever reviewed and hand's out little gift baskets of cookies and other goodies-

Thanks to **Erin** for pointing out the mistake I made with Lily's name in Chapter four, I fixed it and it's all good. As for her letter in Chapter one, it was intended to be simple, childish and sarcastic so as to point out her annoyance with James and his childish behaviour. And just in case anyone skipped my warnings in Chapter one, all my characters will be either slightly or extremely **OOC**, way too much is different for canon personalities. And in answer to why Lily was ribbing James about neglecting one of his children while she was leaving another entirely…Lily, being the intelligent witch she is, knew that staying there would result in Harry's continued neglect. Plus, growing up with a parental figure constantly putting you down because of something out of your control…it would eventually break a child and the future would be drastically different to how it is. For instance, if I had left Harry with both parents, Daniel would be spoiled and Harry would become Dark; with his power he could easily be the next Dark Lord. See? It was a hard decision for Lily, but she chose the child who needed her more.

As for why Daniel didn't recognise his own mother, Lily doesn't look like she used to. She's grown up a lot more; having to deal with a child like Harry, with his…_profession_…would do that, not to mention the rather Dark curriculum of Durmstrang and the fact that there highly trained witches and wizards attending the school. And his memory of his mother is slightly off centre. I remember people from when I was younger, but when I see a photo from the same time, I'm suddenly confronted with the fact that my memory and the reality are slightly different.

Wow. What a long A/N…sorry.

Dedicating this to my wonderful beta, Jess, because I forgot I promised to go to her birthday party on Saturday. I ended up going to a baby shower instead. Crap, eh? Well, not crap per say, more of a 'damn, I should have remembered' and slap myself in the head type thing.

**Chapter Six-- Sorting The Most Confusing Of Students**

The Great Hall had erupted into chaos the moment the Durmstrang students had spoken out against the decision to Sort them. Ron Weasley was more than pleased with this new development. He would have more chances to prove that the Durmstrang students were nothing more than Death Eaters in training, and he could terrorise Daniel's twin. Oh yes, he was pleased with this.

His pale blue eyes rested on Harry, a slow smirk making its way onto his face. The seventh year was attempting to regain control over his peers, and was failing dramatically. The Head Girl was frowning as McGonagall stepped down to stop beside the Sorting Hat. In rapid fire French she began to talk to Harry, pointing and succeeding in gaining her fellow student's attention.

"Silens!"

Ron frowned. That sounded vaguely like Latin, but it was quite obviously not a spell. Yet the students silenced immediately.

"I will call out each name, and you will place the Sorting Hat on your heads. It will then Sort you into the most appropriate House." McGonagall cleared her throat and called out the first name, "Arcen, Diego!"

A seventh year glowered as he walked up to the three legged stool, giving it a disdainful look before picking the Hat up and sitting down. It took a full fifteen minutes, full of grimaces and scowls and white knuckled hands, before the Hat finally shouted out "SLYTHERIN!"

In fact the next seven students, two seventh, one sixth and four fifth years, all ended up in Slytherin. It wasn't until "Darcian, Laura!" that the repetitive cycle was broken. And just like the eight before her, at least fifteen minutes passed before the decision was reached. The shout of "GRYFFINDOR!" had his own table cheer just a little.

Laura glared at them and sat herself on the very end of the table, near to the doors. Her hazel eyes sparked with anger as the Gryffindor's attempted to talk to her. She kept her attention on her fellow students.

"Evans, Harry!"

Harry scowled and walked up to the Hat. He stared down at it, taking in the rip on it, which would shout out some stupid House. With a resigned sigh he lifted it onto his head, and sat down.

"_Well now, what is this?_"

He jerked slightly at the voice hissing by his ear, and felt something shift in his mind. He slammed his Occlumency walls up to full force.

"_Now, now. I have dealt with eleven of you lot, and each and every one has argued with me over my right to read your mind. I cannot sort without knowing you._"

Resigning himself, he spoke directly to it, well aware that Tom would hear it all. "_And having a supposedly inanimate object rifling through it is not my idea of fun. Explain._"

"_Very well, though I wish the Headmaster had done it for me. So many more to Sort..._" The voice trailed off for a moment. "_I am Godric Gryffindor's hat, which he wore from the moment the Founder's built this school, to the moment he died. He gave me life and each of the four placed a part of themselves within me so that I could judge fairly on who belonged where._"

"_But people change. It's a stupid way of separating people._"

"_True, and once the students were Re-sorted each year just in case. But not now of course. Will you let me in?_"

"_Can you repeat anything you find?_"

"_No. I am bound not to tell._"

"_Very well._" Harry cautiously lowered his shields, feeling Tom's quick retreat from his mind.

"_Oh my,_" The Hat said. "_You are unique. A Hecatamus, with the blood of a Werewolf. A hybrid like no other. With the Dark Lord as a mate, an alpha position within his own pack and a seat as an assassin on the Guild Council._"

Harry jerked and his shields rose instinctually. "_Get out!_"

The Hat seemed taken aback. "_I was merely reflecting. You need not worry, I will not tell anyone of your mission. I've been trying to tell them for years that there needs to be balance. But, oh, the world is black and white to them!_"

"_You're a very odd hat, you know._"

"_Yes. And I see you have met the portrait of my previous owner. How are the Founder's doing?_"

"_Dead, really. But their portrait selves seem quite dissatisfied with Dumbledore."_

"_Ah, yes. I noticed that the portraits in his office have refused to speak to him. In fact, they have retreated. He is quite confused; there isn't supposed to be more than the one copy of their portraits."_

"_A secret I doubt he will ever learn."_ Harry shifted slightly, shaking his head so that it fell to the side a little. He looked out over the Hall, his emerald eye sparking in anger. _"This is foolish. I refuse to be placed within a House of bigoted idiots."_

"_And I would love nothing more than to place you within Slytherin, where you would undoubtedly be safer."_

"_What are you on about?"_

"_There are Death Eaters within that House, as well as a fair few of your fellow peers. Even young Laura would have fit. But she believes that each House requires a Durmstrang student, in order to keep yourselves safe."_

"_I figured that! What I meant, was what were you on about when you said 'I would love nothing more'?"_

"_Ah."_ The Hat suddenly became silent. With an audible sigh, it told him, in a fairly quiet voice, _"I have been forced to allow one student, to enter into a House where he does not belong. The Headmaster chose you as that student."_

"_What?! You let him bully you!"_

"_I have little choice. Each year, the Headmaster of Hogwarts can force my decision on one student, and one only. Be content with the fact that he cannot force me to change the House for all of you. He would love nothing more than to shove you all into Gryffindor with his Saviour."_

"_Where are you going to put me?"_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"_You weren't supposed to say it!"_ Harry threw all his power into the Hat, forcing it to fly off as he stood. With eyes glowing with raw magic, he shot Dumbledore a look of intense hatred. All he got back was a twinkle and a nod. Furious, he stormed down to the Durmstrang table.

"Harry?" Mere gave him a worried look.

"He forced it! Make sure that it Sorts you all correctly. I wouldn't put it past the fool to cast a spell on it."

He spun and strode to the end of the Gryffindor table, nodding silently to Laura as he sat down. The fifth year gave him a curious look, but allowed him to calm down in silence.

"Swiner, Merena!"

Harry snorted when Mere glared up at the witch. "It's _MERE_! And it says so on our rolls!" She stood up and stalked up to the hat. "Stupid Wichards. Can't even read!" she glared down at the Hat. "You expect me to put that…_thing_ on my head?"

McGonagall gave her a quizzical look. "Well, yes, young lady, we do."

Mere raised an eyebrow. "Right. What a grand idea. Let's just put the extremely ratty, old hat on my head. If I get lice…"

She sat down on the stool and scowled as she placed the Hat on her head.

"_Oh, look, another who has shields. Mind lowering them?"_

Mere jerked, unconsciously mirroring her fellow peers and slamming her own mental shields up full force. _"What the hell?"_

"_My dear, I will be Sorting sixty three of you, and already I am sick of this business of explaining it all. I Sort you, and to do so I need access to everything. Now, please lower your shields!"_

"_Geez, no need to snap. Inanimate objects are supposed to be nice, you know."_

"_And whoever told you that is a nitwit. Now, let's see..."_ The Hat trailed off and she grimaced at the feeling of it shuffling through her mind. _"Oh ho. Very nice, yes, yes. You're the only one I've seen today who belongs anywhere but Slytherin!"_

"_Well, we do practice the Dark Arts."_

"_And yet, none of you are corrupted by them! But, never mind. You are of the same thought of many of your peers, that one should be in each House."_

"_Oui. So place me in whatever one I belong in, and get the hell out!"_

"_Very well, better be _RAVENCLAW!"

She whipped the Hat off, throwing it a disdainful glare. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she made her way down to the Ravenclaw table. The students there all gave her friendly smiles, refusing to shy away when her amber eyes glared at them. With a resigned sigh she sat down at the end and began to listen as the seventh years introduced themselves. She wasn't overly interested, until a familiar looking girl, with a silver HEAD badge on her robes, sat down next to her.

"Hello. My name's Hermione Granger. I realise that we didn't get to meet the other day, and I'm sorry for not seeking you out sooner. Welcome to Ravenclaw."

Mere blinked at her, vaguely remembering Harry mentioning that the Head Girl was in Ravenclaw. "Mere Swiner, pleased to make your acquittance. You're the Head Girl, aren't you?"

"Yes." Hermione gave her a small smile while Mere threw a glare at a seventh year boy who waved his _silver_ fork far too close for comfort. "I hope we'll be more accommodating then Gryffindor, who tend to be a tad biased."

"Biased? Ha! That's funny you know." She sighed and shook her head and glanced at the Slytherin table running alongside the Ravenclaw one. She gave a grin to a couple of fifth year Durmstrang students. "Well, at least most of us ended up somewhere where we'll be understood."

"How so?"

Amber eyes danced with laughter as she answered, "I'm sure you all know that we're taught the Dark Arts at Durmstrang?" The students near her nodded. "Slytherin is supposedly the most accepting of such practices. They won't be too hard pressed to practice."

Hermione looked slightly uncomfortable. "Well…it's rumoured that there are Death Eaters in there…"

"So? I see no problem with that. It's not like Old Voldie," She inwardly winced and threw a casual glance at Harry, hoping he never heard that. Ever. "Has been terrorising Muggles and Muggleborns as much this time round, has he? I reckon he found someone to love. It's an amazing emotion."

"Szina, Marci!"

Mere looked up as the sixth year Healer silently stood and made her way to the front of the Hall. She almost laughed at the wince Marci gave as she placed the Hat on her head.

Marci was silent as she sat there. Something was knocking against her shields, but they simply bent and swayed, refusing to fall or hold completely.

"_Well, now, my dear. You are certainly different."_

Unlike the others before her, Marci didn't jerk at the sudden voice. She simply smiled at it, waiting for it to continue.

"_What? No demands to leave?"_

"_I'm not a fighter."_

"_No, no. You are a Healer, no? They are the only ones I know of with shields like yours."_

"_Yes. I am a Healer. Are you the Sorting Hat?"_

"_Why, yes I am."_ It sounded vaguely surprised that she should recognize it so quickly. _"Would you mind if I rifle around your head a bit?"_

"_Is it purely to Sort me?"_

"_Still suspicious, I see. Yes, my dear, it is only to Sort you."_

"_Very well."_ Marci cautiously lowered her shields. She grimaced as it pushed aside the fake memories and 'important facts' that made up her secondary defence. Harry had taught her that, and it had taken them almost a year to perfect the ability to create false memories.

"_Yes, I did see a similar thing in some of the others. They all had the same thing in common. It seems Durmstrang has its very own Werepack_."

Panic filled Marci suddenly. _"Please don't tell!"_

"_I couldn't. I am bound by magic not to reveal what I see to anyone. Not even the Headmaster himself. You and your pack are safe, my dear. Though I would be wary of the mutterings within these walls. Your alpha is in danger, he walks with it and though he may try to avoid detection, someone will eventually find him."_

"_You have Seers powers? How?"_

"_No, my dear, not it. But I speak with the portraits of the Founders, and they know him. Now, you should feel quite comfortable in _HUFFLEPUFF!"

Marci sighed, removing the Hat and standing. She placed it on the stool and for a moment seemed tempted to put it back on. But with a visible effort she walked away and sat down at the Hufflepuff table, where the students welcomed her warmly, happily ignoring the obvious fact that she too practised the Dark Arts.

Several more students were Sorted. One fifth year ended up in Hufflepuff, nervously sitting beside Marci, who merely smiled and introduced him to some of the House members. Three more were put into Ravenclaw, a fact that Mere was eternally grateful for. A seventh year was also placed within Gryffindor, though that was only because he had yelled at the Hat to put him where he could be of use. The rest were quickly, meaning that the customary fifteen minutes suddenly vanished, Sorted into Slytherin. That particular table had been lengthened to accommodate the fifty-three Durmstrang students who now sat there.

Ron glared at Harry, who sat a few seats down from him. The fifth year girl, Laura, was whispering anxiously to him, motioning every now and then at the cutlery and plates. He couldn't understand what was wrong. Unless the gold utensils weren't good enough for them. He snorted.

"What's wrong, Ron?" Daniel looked as his friend inquiringly, following the pale blue eyes to where they rested on the three new members of Gryffindor House. "Ah. Don't worry, I'm sure we can set them on the right track."

Ron smirked in reply. "Oh, yes. We should be able to do that easily. And take that twin of your's down a notch or two!"

The two grinned widely at each other, fingering their wands fondly.

The last name, "Yealo, Darren!", was shouted out and a dark eyed, black haired, wizard stood. He cast a disgruntled look about the Hall, before striding up to the Hat. He looked at it and then looked McGonagall in the eye. "I'm supposed to put this on?"

By then, the Gryffindor Head of House had gotten sick of the same question, and had quickly decided that they most likely had collaborated on the best way to show their unhappiness with the idea of Houses. She knew that Durmstrang was a closely-knit group of individuals who, while mostly grouping together, would fight side by side no matter what confronted them. The failed attack was proof enough. "Yes, Mr Yealo. I'm afraid it is the only way to get this all over with."

He smirked at her. "Yeah, I guess four hours is long enough to sit on your own arse."

She scowled at him and silently motioned towards the Hat.

Darren grimaced, but sat down anyway, placing the Hat on his head. _"Do your worse Hat!"_

"_You lot are getting increasingly annoying! First no one will allow me in! And now! Now, you all want to be smart about it!"_

"_It is your job to Sort us correct?"_

"_Yes, of cour--."_

"_Then we should have been told that our minds needed to be open. And then all of us would have been smart to you!"_

The Hat snorted in his mind. _"Oh, how much fun that would be, I'm sure."_

"_So...going to Sort me?"_ He felt something rifle through his mind and forced his own shields to remain lowered. Despite the fact that him and his peers had quickly come to the realisation that they had to open their minds, they were still incredibly reluctant to allow anything to see them completely.

"_Hmm. Much easier than the others, I must say. Almost a text book case for the House o--_."

"_Don't you dare say Slytherin!"_

The Hat seemed to do a double take. _"And why ever not?"_

"_Because I can't go there."_

"_Why?"_

"_Fifty three students in one House. They're safe there but my...um...just put me in Gryffindor."_

"_Ah, I see now. You wish to protect the alpha of your pack. Very well, better be _GRYFFINDOR!"

Darren let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding. Whipping the Hat off, he gave McGonagall a pleased smirk. He turned and strutted down to where Harry sat next to Laura and Karl Wans. "Ah, the feeling of prejudice, separation and blatantly biased individuals." He breathed deeply as he sat next to Harry. "Can you smell it, Harry?"

Harry shook his head, laughing at his friend's antics. "I prefer not to inhale at all. Never know, we might become contaminated."

Darren snorted. "Too right, my dear friend. Should we take to wearing little surgical masks, like those Asian countries do?"

Karl shot him an amused look, before deciding to ignore the upset Gryffindor's surrounding them. "I don't think that would work. A Bubblehead charm, perhaps?"

Laura, as the only fifth year, gave them all surprised looks. Though she knew them quite well, they weren't usually this loud about their opinions. Well, except for Darren maybe. "No, that charm would make everything else so much harder to do. Maybe just an air cleansing spell, permanently placed on something?"

Harry laughed softly, his emerald eyes dancing. "Oh, we should all discuss this in the common room tonight. Maybe the others have more ideas."

Daniel was furious. He couldn't stand hearing this talk about them all, as if they were some disease! He glared at his twin with burning hazel eyes. "How dare you talk of us that way! As if _we_ are beneath _you_!"

Harry took a deep breath before facing his brother. "Little brother, you need to get it through your thick skull, that we _are_ better than you. Does Durmstrang have this stupid little system for promoting segregation and hate? No, I don't believe it ever did!"

Unknown to them, squabbles and arguments along similar lines were breaking out all over the Hall. Even in Slytherin, where they had expected to be more at home, they found that there was an extremely biased attitude. In Hufflepuff, though they were more demure and the arguments much quieter, still the same animosity remained. The four Durmstrang students in Ravenclaw found themselves faced with supposed logic based facts that were so far off the mark that Mere didn't know what to do.

"SILENCE!!"

Dumbledore's voice echoed harshly in the sudden cessation of sound. The Durmstrang students stood abruptly, all at once in a show of complete unity. They all faced the front, each and every pair of eyes focused intently on their own Headmaster. Remus sighed, standing up slowly.

"Please, students. I know that this system will take awhile to get used to, but be aware of the temporary situation. I am sure that we can all have a talk later today in our own common room to clear the--."

"No, Remus," Dumbledore's eyes were blank of their twinkle as he cut the wizard off. "The Durmstrang dorms will be closed off. Your students will be joining their new Houses."

In an instant, deafening noise erupted. The Hogwarts students, while hurt that these new ones were so against the idea, saw the utter strength of a unified front. They could only imagine what it would be like to face them in a battle setting.

Harry glared up at Dumbledore. He knew that the old wizard was well aware of what was going to happen. But the fact that that knowledge did nothing to sway his decision angered him. His fingers twitched and the warm spark of power flooded around them. His eyes flashed and began to swirl with gold. His magic was building, drawing in the latent tendrils in the air and using it to power up.

_Harry!_

He jerked, letting go of the magic in his hands, as Tom's voice cried out in his mind. _Tom?_

_What the hell do you think you're doing? You'll expose yourself if you're not careful._

Tentatively, Harry reached out along the bond, seeking the comfort he could only find with his mate._ But do you see what he's doing? He's trying to break us up, to force us to relinquish everything that makes us who we are!_

_I know._ He felt warmth flood through him, dousing the flickering flames of anger that still burned. _But you cannot allow him to. You are intelligent, love, find a way and utilise everything you and your peers have at your disposal._

_This mission was stupid from the get go. We should have just refused. We knew what he was like!_

Tom allowed love to flow down the link, filling Harry with the feeling and taking away his breath. _We know that. And I hate you being there. He's a manipulative old fool, but he is powerful._

_And the only wizard you have ever feared._ Emerald eyes closed as Harry sat back down, his peers slowly following suit.

_And that is the reason I am so worried about you._

_Aw, touching._

_Brat._

_And you know you love me._

_How could I not?_


	7. First Report, Tom and Timetables

**A/N:** So...another update! You guys rock, too. Sorry if the chapters don't have so much action in them, but trust me, it's leading up to some for sure! I love you all, and thank you for the reviews! I need ideas for ways on how to prank/jinx Dumbles...any ideas are welcome!

**WARNING: There is a SLASH scene in this chapter. **

**Chapter Seven-- First Report, Tom And Timetables**

Grey rubbed tiredly at his eyes and blinked around the chamber. Dumbledore had finally agreed to allow the Durmstrang students to stay in their dorm for one more night, meaning that this would probably be the only time he would have to personally report his findings. The room brightened and the remaining members of the Guild Council filed in. Genna shifted beside him and sighed audibly. She had been unable to come up with an easy way to communicate and the pair were hoping someone else might have.

Kely frowned at the tired look in Grey's eyes. She had known, they all had, that this would take a lot out of him, but this was quicker than she had expected. "Grey? What has happened?"

Emerald eyes roamed over everyone. "Dumbledore is a crack pot old fool, who takes pleasure in ruining other peoples lives. Can I just kill him and be done with it?"

Even Nori, who took a sadistic pleasure in other peoples deaths--for obvious reasons--was surprised by this. "What?"

Grey shook his head. "He's Sorted us all into their ridiculous House groups. We are separated and some of us are almost entirely alone amongst hostile students. Most of the students were Sorted into Slytherin, however, Dumbledore decided that it would be prudent to force the Sorting Hat's hand and place me into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin."

The twins frowned, before speaking up. "But he must be aware--."

"That this is blatantly wrong and--."

"Will look bad if we were to know."

Gabriel frowned. "I thought the Bulgarian Ministry was clear about what was to happen while there?"

"They were. But he somehow managed to convince them that it was perfectly safe."

Grey's sneer wasn't missed by the others. Lonah sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. "How is the pack doing? And have you and the Circle had any talks about what to do?"

"Crap. And no. The pack is broken up. We did manage to get at least one student into each House, which means we'll be able to sense if there is any unrest that would endanger us. As for the Circle, I haven't been able to say more than two words to any of them since we got there. At every corner some stupid bigoted fool is waiting to harass us." He glared at everyone. "This mission was stupid from the beginning."

Haren frowned, his red eyes glittering in thought. "Perhaps. But we need to know what lengths he is willing to go to make this war tip in favour of the Light. If he is going too far, we must be aware of what he has done. You know this, Grey."

Emerald eyes sparked. "I may know it, but it doesn't mean I have to sit idly by and watch him destroy the lives of sixty three students!"

"Grey!" Gabriel's greys eyes narrowed at him across the chamber. "You must let him think that he is winning, don't openly rebel!"

"Let him think he's winning? Let him _think_ he's winning!" Grey snarled in anger. "All he has to do is snap his fingers and everyone runs over each other to do his bidding! I don't even need to do anything for him to gain control over us! And have you forgotten that there is a pack of Were's there? He is _Light_. If he finds out about us, we could very well be kicked out. He knows about me, always has. But he considers me a threat as a _werewolf_."

The werewolf beside Lonah, Cole, frowned. "But you control every aspect of your Were nature. The Hecatamus blood rules out any danger in you."

"Cole's right." The Herbologist Master shook her red hair out of her face. "It was because of the Hecatamae that we even began to discover the properties of the Wolfsbane potion. Although, back in their time, it was their own blood that helped with the potion."

"He still believes me a danger."

"Well, you are, aren't you?"

Grey glared as Corsis smirked at him. "I need a way to contact you all. Living in Gryffindor tower will limit my access to this chamber."

"The Room of Requirement--."

"Will give you anything--."

"Which you require. Ask Hogwarts nicely--."

"And she may give you a room to leave in."

"And when I can't get to it? Or when I need to make a long report? What then?"

The twins cocked their head to the side. The slightly taller one, Fred, grinned suddenly. "We'll open up a branch in Hogsmeade!"

George grinned at his twin. "Of course! We can gain more gossip from loose mouthed students!"

Kely gave the pair a smile. "Very well. Was there anything else, Grey?"

With a sigh he sagged back against the chair. "I was attacked."

There were several cries of 'what' before they settled down again, silence pressing in as they waited for his explanation.

"Tom said it was a Gryffindor named Ron Weasley. He's a friend of Daniel's. He claims that we are all Death Eaters. And apparently, I should be thrown in Azkaban so I can entertain the inmates."

The Courtesan representatives sneered at that. Sali closed his gold eyes in an attempt to calm himself. "That is an insult to our Guild."

Gabriel cocked his head to the side. "Your mate is going to be watching you, isn't he?"

"Yes. He says that having me in the same building as Dumbledore unsettles him. Not that I blame him. The old coot did nothing to stop his precious Gryffindor's from attacking us all in the past three days. No matter how dangerous they got. But a united front is almost impossible now, what with us all being broken up."

Genna gasped. "That's why he's doing it! Together you lot are unbeatable, a dangerous force he can't control and manipulate. But alone, you are more vulnerable to attack!"

Grey nodded sadly. "Precisely. The reason for having the years sent with me was for protection. There are four of us in Gryffindor. But I haven't even seen the dorms yet, so the danger is still largely unknown."

Kely shook her head. "I am afraid that there is little we can do to intervene, Grey. How have your classes gone?"

"They haven't started."

"What?"

Grey smirked. "The Sorting took almost four hours and would have taken longer if we hadn't decided to let the rest of the years know that our shields had to be dropped. I believe fifteen minutes became a routine until then."

The Angel shook her head, before pausing and seeming to listen to something else. "We have another petition. It seems that now that Britain is aware of our reluctance to intervene, they have decided to personally request aid. You are not needed for this Grey. Genna will speak for your faction. Return to Hogwarts. And be careful."

Grey sighed, patting Genna on the arm as he stood. With one last unhappy glare at the chamber, he turned and left the room.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Mere glared at Darren as he continued to babble on about some stupid prank idea he had for his new House mates. The entire contingent of students was tense and confused. New robes had been delivered to them, but none of them would touch them; they much preferred their own. The door to her dorm room opened and Harry stepped out, scowling at the floor. He paused, half in half out.

She shook her head as she realised he was talking to his mate. Standing she placed a hand on his arm, inwardly surprised at the heat rising off his skin. "Harry. Go back inside. We'll give you an hour, okay?"

Harry blinked at her, before shaking his head. "Um, what?" He shifted slightly, the flush on his cheeks betraying what was going on.

"He obviously misses you. And the spells we cast on the room should allow him into it. Go on, have some fun!"

Emerald eyes widened, but he nodded anyway. "Okay."

Harry swallowed as he closed the door and leaned back against the cool wood. His entire body was on fire, the amount of desire Tom was pushing along the link was overwhelming.

_She's right, you know. I do miss you._ **"Love."**

Harry's eyes snapped open at the hiss, immediately taking in the form of Tom and raking over his barely clad body. Barely, because he was only wearing a pair of loose black slacks. His pale chest gleamed in the softly flickering light from the dozens of candles they had been using as light.

"Tom."

Tom smirked at him before stepping forward, his hands resting on either side of Harry's head and trapping him against the door. "Do you know how much I have missed you, love?" He leaned forward and kissed the tanned neck, biting the skin softly and relishing in the low moan it drew forth.

"Oh god. Stop." Harry couldn't stand it. Even though tom was there, in the flesh, he still allowed his own desire to flood the link; making Harry's body tremble with pure, raw need.

"Why? You look so beautiful like this," he murmured. With a lazy flick of his hand, Harry's clothes vanished, leaving him naked against the door. The young wolf hissed as his burning skin came into sudden contact with the door.

Tom stepped forward again, pressing his hip into Harry's, groaning as their arousals brushed against each other. "Merlin, Harry."

Emerald eyes flashed and darkened, the pupils dilating. "Bed. Now."

The older wizard chuckled softly; another wave and his pants vanished. "I think I quite like the door."

Harry groaned at the feeling of warm skin against his own. "I will not do anything against this door."

Tom leaned forward, his lips millimetres from Harry's ear. **"Well, I want you against this door. I want to make you scream my name while I pound into you. I want you to beg. To whimper and moan."**

Shaking, Harry managed to erect the strongest privacy and silencing charms he could. He looked up into Tom's eyes. Seeing the deep crimson glow and grow brighter, he gasped. Magic swirled around them as the tight hold he held on his aura broke. Black, red, green and gold flashed, stroking along their skin as it melded with the black aura of his mate.

"Oh god."

Tom grinned, turning his head and nuzzling against the warm neck. He pressed a soft kiss to the franticly beating pulse point, before grabbing a hold of Harry's legs and lifting them. Harry whimpered as he wrapped his legs around the slim waist, his arms winding around Tom's neck.

"Damnit Tom, how do you do this to me?"

"It's a gift."

Harry snorted, before gasping as slim fingers wrapped around him, giving a harsh tug and making his desire spike again. He growled, the emerald in his eyes darkening as gold swirled slowly in them. "Don't tease."

Tom grinned and caught Harry's lips with his own. Tracing the soft lips with his tongue, he smirked when they parted and granted him access. He dipped his tongue in, exploring and relishing in the sweet taste of the younger man. When air became a pressing need, he broke the kiss. After a murmured spell against Harry's lips, which left Harry's insides tingling and slick, he reached around and pressed one finger to Harry's opening.

Harry gasped and pressed his face into Tom's neck. It had been two months since he had been able to even see his mate. And his entire being was trembling with the pleasure of even the slight contact. But he needed more, he needed everything. **"Please, Tom."**

The older wizard shivered as the hissed words rolled over his senses. He groaned, before whispering another incantation. **"Up, love."**

Harry wrapped his legs tighter and lifted himself up a little. He captured Tom's lips with his own, threading his fingers through the silky black locks, relishing in the way the hair curled slightly around them. He gasped as Tom suddenly entered him, before letting out a low, slow moan as he leaned back against the door. Tom had his face pressed into his neck, lips moving over the sensitive skin at his collarbone and making him shiver.

It didn't matter how many times they had done this before, every time felt like the first. Tom could hardly believe that such a beautiful creature would even choose him. He hadn't had love in his life, and hatred had been his only companion. Now he had Harry, and he wasn't going to let him go. Soft, leathery wings wrapped around him and he smiled, raising his head to gaze at his mates face.

Harry had his eyes closed, head thrown back. His lips were slightly swollen from their kisses and were parted, his breath coming in short, fast gasps. His face was flushed, a beautiful pink tinge that spread down his neck and over his chest. Tom smiled and kissed him, plunging himself into the lithe body that writhed against him. Harry was whimpering, hissing, begging before he screamed and sagged against his mate.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Marci yawned as Darren opened the door to their dorm room. She smiled softly at where Harry was sleeping peacefully. It was rare to have him so still and quiet. Normally, he would toss and turn, troubled by something even in his sleep. But no matter how many times she offered to try and help, he would merely shake his head and down a Dreamless Sleep potion.

Tom raised an eyebrow from where he was wrapped around the sleeping boy. The black silk sheet covered both of them up, but his chest was bare as he was leaning slightly over Harry. Mere shook her head at him before the six students collapsed into their own beds.

"You should go back, you know."

He levelled dark eyes on her, glaring at the reminder of the time limit he had. Amber eyes stared back at him, refusing to back down. "I know that."

"Dumbles may be a senile old coot, but he still has control of the castle. Our spells will wear off in half an hour. It's best you go now."

Tom frowned. He agreed and he knew that the witch was right. He sighed, pale fingers tracing down the faint outline of a scar. Harry's glamour spells were so powerful that no one even knew how many scars he had and the only reason Tom could even see that one scar was because he had watched it happen.

FLASHBACK

_Harry ducked, spinning and slamming his foot back and into the stomach of the robed Death Eater. His emerald eyes glittered from within the confines of his hood. "You have been marked, Death Eater," His voice was oddly muffled by the strip of cloth hiding his lower face. "By the Guild Council, as unworthy of this world."_

"_Bastard!" The Death Eater flicked his wand. "Sectumsempra!"_

_Harry lazily stepped out of the range of the curse. "By the decree of said Council, the Assassins Guild has been given right to end your life and release your soul from this world." He sidestepped another curse before vanishing and reappearing behind the man. He grabbed him in a headlock, relieved him of his wand and pressed a black dagger to his throat. "You have been charged with unlawful rape of ten children, aged between six and eight. As such, you are given no right to protest your death sentence."_

_The man roared and twisted, his own dagger flashing silver and he twisted, lashing out. The blade sliced through the cloth on Harry's face, and dug into his cheek. Harry hissed and with a jerky motion, sliced the man's throat. "The sentence has been carried out."_

END FLASHBACK

It was the first time Tom had even seen Harry as Grey Shadow. Even at the age of only fifteen the boy had been powerful in his own right and had belonged to the Assassins Guild for three years by then. With a sigh, Tom pressed a soft kiss to Harry's cheek and faded from view. He would watch his mate, and make sure he remained safe. Even though the very building he rested in was a danger to his life.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

The Durmstrang students nervously filed into the Great Hall, slowly taking seats at the House tables. The table they had all previously occupied had vanished, leaving them little choice but to confront the result of yesterday's Sorting. Harry scowled as the Gryffindor's stared at him, Laura, Karl and Darren. As the only fifth year, Laura shied away from their eyes and stuck close to Karl, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Dumbledore smiled down at them, his eyes twinkling in delight at their uncomfortable reactions. Harry frowned as he sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table. Marci leaned over from the Hufflepuff table beside them, her pale gold eyes shining with worry.

"No one slept Harry. I just know that there is going to be trouble. How do I treat them if I cannot get near to them?"

Harry chewed his lower lip in thought. "I don't know, Marci. I'll figure something out, I promise."

_You need to protect yourself as well._ Tom was suddenly there in his mind, his presence a calming reminder of everything else. _I'll watch your back, Harry._

_I know. Thankyou._ He could feel eyes boring into his head. Turning he caught sight of Ron staring at him. The red head had done that yesterday as well. It didn't matter that the Durmstrang students had made it quite clear that they wanted nothing to do with any of them, didn't matter that they stayed together down near the hastily erected stables that now housed the thirty pegasi. They had been harassed and insulted until his peers were close to hexing the group of Gryffindor's into oblivion.

Dumbledore stood and addressed the now full Hall. "Today is the first day in which Durmstrang students will be integrated into our classes. Although, I had planned on that being yesterday. Ah, but a long Sorting hasn't been seen for centuries!" He smiled at the students. "Your Heads of House will bring you your timetables. I trust you will behave yourselves and enjoy the time you spend here."

_He's actually daring to say that we started everything!_

_Calm down, Harry. You need to stay alert, and that means not letting your emotions cloud your judgement._

_I know, I know._

McGonagall warily approached the four Durmstrang students. She could see the anger and indignation clear on their faces. She herself knew that her own Gryffindor's had been provoking them, and it had resulted in several students being sent to Pomfrey. But for some reason, none of _them_ had ever-stepped foot there and it puzzled her as to how they were coping. Most of all, she wanted to punish her students, but Dumbledore had forbidden her from doing so.

"Misters Evans, Wans, Yealo, Miss Darcian. Here are your new timetables. I have included a map, in case one of you should get lost at some point."

Harry took the four pieces of parchment and handed the corresponding ones to their owners. "Thankyou, Professor."

She nodded and spun on her heel, sending several Gryffindor's scathing glares as she left.

Looking down at their timetables, all Harry could do was scowl angrily at it. His magic whipped up and he had to close his eyes before he set it on fire. It was all too much of a reminder of what was happening, of what was wrong.

He was beginning to regret agreeing to this mission. It was nothing like what he was used to. This was a mission for a Spy, not for a person used to ending people's lives!

**A/N:** For anyone reading who doesn't like Slash, not that I have a problem with that mind, this story IS Slash. It was stated in the first chapter along with a warning that there will be OOCness. On another website I had a ton of people snap at me because I didn't add a warning in the summary. I have now, but unless there is an actual Slash scene, such as above, then I will not be warning anyone. If you all still feel like snapping at me because you're too stupid to read, fine. I really don't have the time for that. To everyone else, I love you all for your support. And to Tsukiyomi-chan (even though I know you aren't reading anymore, I still want to say it) thankyou for the tip of putting the warning in the summary, and for being the nicest person to say they don't want to read Slash. It was refreshing.


	8. A Day of Boredom

**A/N:** Kee…I love you guys so much! All these lovely reviews… Still need help with prank ideas, afraid my brain is struggling to come up with something original. So far I have the vague idea of a prank to do with bees, since I sometimes refer to Dumbledore as Bumblebee in my own mind. As a way to entice you all to help me out, I've decided that the three best, most original and hilarious will be used, as well as the people behind them getting a cameo appearance. (Since I'm also working on a few Assassins, Mages and Demons and have run out of names…at the mo.) I'm shamelessly bribing you all! With no shame, mind you. Kee…

A great big thank you to **Tonks is cool**. You're review made me smile! And it reminded me that no matter how many people say something scathing about my clearly labelled M rated Slash fic, I shouldn't ever let them bother me! Kudos to you!

**Chapter Eight-- A Day of Boredom**

After breakfast the Durmstrang students glanced nervously at one another, as they followed their new housemates to their first class of the day. They had no choice but to go of course, but it didn't stop them from attempting to separate themselves from the mass of students. They stood out, since they had refused to where Hogwarts robes and the gold writing around the hood of their cloaks glowed faintly whenever they stepped in the shadows.

The problem was that the seventh years had Potions first. And since there were an extra twenty-three students eligible for the class, it was moved from its usual room to a larger and infinitely brighter room several floors up from the dungeons. It was Ron and Daniel who voiced protest against the sudden influx of students.

"It's impossible that their entire year could have passed the required grade for Snape." Ron sneered as he caught sight of Harry talking in hushed whispers with Darren outside the new room. "They must have cheated."

"Particularly my _brother_. He hardly looks intelligent enough to even know how to stir."

Ron grinned at Daniel a moment. "What say we have some fun with our new housemates?"

"I like the way you think, Ron." The pair pulled their wands out and advanced on the oblivious seventh years.

Harry scowled at Darren as he shook his head emphatically. "Dumbledore told mum and Remus that he hadn't expected us all to want to do the class, so they were unprepared for us to join."

"Well that's stupid! As if we're simply going to jeopardise our futures so they can be comfy! Although," Darren mused. "I doubt the class will be any good."

"Mum said the Professor was an old friend of hers and a member of the Masters Guild. He has to be good at potions to warrant a Masters title."

A sudden blur of black and shocking orange barrelled into Harry, slamming him into the wall. His breath whooshed out of his lungs as a wand tip was jabbed under his chin.

"Maybe you should be in Slytherin. Only those slimy traitors compliment Snape."

Darren growled as Ron held Harry against the wall. Daniel had his own wand trained on him, though the tip was wavering slightly. He carefully, slowly, twisted his hand. The familiar weight of his wand dropped into his hand, his fingers wrapping around the warm wood. "Maybe you shouldn't attack us."

Daniel laughed. "What are you going to do about it?" He looked up and down the empty corridor mockingly. "I don't see anymore of your friends here."

"You think any of us need others to fight?" Ron pressed the tip harder against his throat and Harry glared at him. "If we can fight people with more knowledge of the Dark Arts than we do, do you really expect some puny little celebrity and his side kick could best us?"

Darren smirked as he realised what his friend was doing. Already he could smell the anger rolling off the pair. "You know, you're right Harry." He looked Daniel up and down. "He doesn't look like much. How can he possibly defeat the Dark Lord?"

Harry inwardly laughed. _Oh, how priceless!_

_You know,_ Tom mused, his voice tinged with humour, _I don't think Dumbledore realises that his little weapon can't beat me now. The one thing he had to use against me was love, and with you I have more than enough._

Ron snarled in anger, swapping his wand for his hand and wrapping his fingers around Harry's throat. The emerald-eyed teen gasped as his oxygen supply began to be cut off. "You should show respect to your betters!"

_Let me in, Harry!_

_No! I won't have one of them find out about you!_

_Damnit! He could kill you!_

_I'm a werewolf, Tom! Not to mention my Hecatamus blood. Do you honestly think me so weak?_

Darren jumped forward, snatching the wand from Daniel and levelling it on its owner. His own was pointed at Ron. "Let go of him, Weasley!"

Ron ignored him, his pale blue eyes boring into Harry's. Harry growled and the emerald mixed with gold. His palms were flat against the stone wall and he could feel Hogwarts' anger at the attack thrumming through it. She would listen to him. The heir of Salazar Slytherin was his mate, and his father's line were the last descendants of Godric Gryffindor. He twitched his fingers and drew in some of her magic, letting it hum through him and fill him with pure power. With a slight grimace, he released the tight hold he had on his Hecatamae tendencies, and his aura whipped into being, pushing roughly at the red head who was suddenly terrified.

With a gasp, Harry leaned back against the wall, struggling to stand and draw in all of the power he had let loose. The one thing he knew for certain was that his wings hadn't become visible in the onslaught of power. _Tom! Help me, please!_

_Oh, so now you want my help._ Tom went silent, but he tugged on their link, absorbing the magic through that and into himself, where he could release it through his wand. _Better?_

Harry sagged slightly. _Much. Thankyou._

_Anytime, love._

Ron was about to say something else, no doubt full of false bravado and insults, when Snape came around the corner, scowling and snarling to himself. The red head gulped and hastily stepped back. Darren sneered at the pair but relinquished his hold of Daniel's wand, returning it back to its owner. He took a hold of Harry's arm and tugged him off the wall, knowing that his friend would feel a little weak for a while longer.

"Get in the classroom!" Snape glared at the four, tapping his foot impatiently as they entered. He swept in and began to unshrink several things from his robe pockets. He spelled the windows shut and dark curtains to keep out the light. Several things, odd things, sprung up all over the large classroom. He was definitely unhappy with the changes.

The rest of the class filed in and took their seats. The Durmstrang seventh years grouped themselves together at the back of the class, while the ten Hogwarts students spread out around the room, waiting in silence. Harry and his peers were nowhere near as quiet, angry words exchanged as they learned of the altercation with the Gryffindor's.

"Silence!" Snape stared around the room, noticing that a few of the new students kept murmuring. "There will be silence in this classroom, whether you are from Hogwarts or not!" He was slightly surprised when, in the shadows of the classroom, several pairs of eyes glowed. It reminded him of when Remus had been at school with him…

He began to read out the roll ignoring most of the new members until he reached the P's. "Daniel Alans Potter." There was a mumbled 'here'. "Harry James Potter." There was no answer. His coal black eyes caught onto a pair of emeralds and he sneered. "So, yet another Potter who thinks he can walk all over the rest of us? I will teach you your place, Potter, even if no one else will!"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "I think you're looking at the wrong person, Professor Snape. Potter is sitting several rows in front of me."

Despite the polite way he had spoken, Snape couldn't stand it. "I believe am talking to you, Harry _Potter_."

_Stupid, isn't he? And here I was thinking he was one of my brightest..._

_All those potions fumes have done funny things to him._

"I am sorry, but I believe you are mistaken. I am not a Potter."

"It is what it says on the roll, boy! And you are the eldest spawn of that fool, are you not?"

Harry frowned at him, beginning to get annoyed. "While I agree that I am a child born of Potter blood, I do not go by the name of Potter. I am Harry James Evans, and the Headmaster is well aware of this."

Snape's nostrils flared in anger, but he ignored Harry and continued with the roll. Then, with a loud crack, he slammed his wand against the board and it filled with instructions on the _Tiro Gaudium_ potion.

_Didn't you already cover this?_

_Hmm. In fourth year, actually, in the Empathic Potions class._

_And I suppose none of you are going to do it now?_

_Why should we? Just because their educational system is crap and years behind, doesn't mean we should sink to it._

_You realise I did go to Hogwarts?_

_And you are an intelligent human being who would have furthered his own education in his own time._

_Flattery doesn't always work, you know._

Snape sneered as none of the Durmstrang students made a move. In fact, some of them looked disappointed. He supposed that even a novice rank potion was too complex for them. Merlin knew that his current students were horribly inept at it.

"Why are none of you beginning!"

Mere frowned at the obvious anger in the man's voice, but she smirked at him all the same. "Because, Professor, we have already covered this potion."

"In fourth year, too." a wizard with brown hair and silvery eyes sighed.

"Preposterous. None of you dunderheads could ever hope to complete this potion. Begin! Now!"

With scowls, sneers, frowns, glares and even a childish act of sticking out their tongues, they got to work. While the Hogwarts students, bar Hermione and a blonde Slytherin named Draco Malfoy, struggled to even get the precise shade of turquoise at step four, they did not. And when Hermione and Draco were both suddenly halted at step fifteen when their potions went a mustardy shade, they got the right shade of neon yellow. And while Snape was busy berating the students for their inability to pay attention to instructions, they had surpassed even step twenty-three and were busy letting the potions cool off so they could bottle them.

"What is this?" Snape stared down into twenty-three cauldrons, all containing perfect examples of the potion.

Mere shot him an exasperated look. "We did say that we had already done this potion. I hope that next lesson will have something a little more advanced?"

Daniel, who had been following the instructions added in handwriting to the potions textbook he had sneaked away with last year, was frowning at his own potion. He had completed it, but it was several shades darker than it was meant to be. Looking at his brother's he was surprised to see him filling several vials with the shimmering silver liquid.

Snape, meanwhile, was surprised that so many students could actually manage to complete such a potion. It was notoriously hard to complete, but Pomfrey had asked if he could brew her some and he had decided to see if Hermione and Draco could manage it. Now, with dozens of vials of the potion he doubted the Hospital Wing would ever run out of the joint healing and cheering potion.

"I am glad," He said as he swept up to the front of the room. "To see that at least some students can complete a simple potion, albeit a complicated one. I expect two feet on the correct brewing of the potion and possible ideas on how to improve the smell and taste." A bell rang somewhere and the students began to file out. However, the Durmstrang students milled around a bit longer. "What?"

Harry raised an eyebrow but ignored the tone. "Well, we were wondering if we could be excused from the essay?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Because we've got several years of experience and lessons over the others."

"And the fact that we've already removed the…unpleasant taste and smell." Darren wrinkled his nose at the memory of what the potion usually smelt like.

"What are you on about?"

Harry held one of his vials out, uncorking it. Snape took it and sniffed it delicately. He surprised to inhale the sweet smell of Moon Drop Roses instead of the puke-like one he had been expecting. With a slight frown he tipped a small amount onto a spoon and swallowed it. Immediately he felt so much more cheerful and rejuvenised. "How?"

"We simply added two single drops of dew from the petals of the Moon Drop Rose, harvested during the second night of a full moon by a member of the were family. It neutralises the smell and taste of the other ingredients."

Snape was momentarily confused. "I do not have Moon Drop Rose dew, or anything related to that plant."

Harry gave him a small smile and held out a thick bottle filled with clear liquid. When the torchlight hit it, it caught the tiny silver flecks within it. "Here. Consider this a peace-making gift. We don't need animosity shown towards any of us for no discernable reason, and I would prefer if you didn't treat me as if I were a Potter."

The bottle was taken by trembling fingers and held reverently against a black clad chest. "Thankyou. You may go; I look forward to the next class we share."

As they left, Mere shot him a grin. "Make sure the next potion is advanced, Professor!" She said in a singsong voice.

Despite himself, Snape smiled.

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They sat through Transfiguration and managed to not only complete the required changes to their rats, turning them into chairs complete with fluffy cushions and gold inlay on the wood, but they also changed them into dog sized versions of the pegasi they had arrived on. McGonagall had been so impressed that she awarded each of them ten points for a fantastic show of ability.

Daniel and Ron hadn't taken it so well.

Hermione sighed as she stepped from the room and into the middle of a mostly one-sided argument. Daniel and Ron were claiming that the Durmstrang students were purposefully making them look like fools, and that they apparently needed to be taught a lesson or two. Harry, Mere, Darren and several other seventh years had remained while the rest had gone off to insure that the fifth and sixth years were still safe and sound. And while they listened to the two Gryffindor's yell at them, they simply glared at them in silence.

In fact, Harry's emerald eyes looked slightly glazed.

Before she could say a thing, he blinked and they became clear and sharp once more. If anything, he looked even more annoyed now.

"Maybe you should just go back to the ruins you called a school, and rot there with it!"

In a flash Harry had Daniel pinned against the wall. "Don't you dare insult our school, Potter! This place you supposedly get educated in is three to four years beyond ours!" He narrowed his eyes and added in a hiss, "its no wonder you lot are nothing against even the dumbest of Death Eaters." He let go of Daniel's robes as if they were filthy, before spinning and stalking off to the Great Hall.

Hermione sighed and shook her head, pushing past the wide-eyed pair and following. "Harry! Harry, wait!"

Harry stopped and gave her a small smile when she caught up. "Hello, Hermione. How are you?"

"Fine, thanks. Are you guys alright?"

He laughed. "There is nothing here that can harm us yet, dear Hermione. We are quite safe. Though, I will admit that we were much more comfortable amongst ourselves and with our own dorm."

Mere shook her head at her new housemate. "We aren't particularly well-liked by the Gryffindor's. Those two have been jumping at us at any chance."

"Well," She said while flashing them a smile. "You can be sure that Ravenclaw will welcome anyone within our dorm, house mate or not. We're more interested in everything you guys seem to know!"

"Ah, yes. The House of the ever curious, and annoyingly bookwormish!"

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Lunch had been met with cold shoulders from most of the Gryffindor's. A few attempted to talk to them, but cold glares and angry stares were enough to halt them mid-sentence. So it was a silent affair. Even the Slytherin's shied away from their new members. The animosity towards Hogwart's grew within the seventh years as they entered the classroom for Defence Against The Dark Arts, of DADA as the other students referred to it as.

Eyeing both the practice dummies and James warily, they made their way to the back of the room, highly suspicious of everything and casting numerous spells to ensure their own safety. When they settled down, they turned innocent eyes to the front, their tense bodies betraying their feelings.

James sent them all scathing glares, before turning a bright smile on his son. The classroom they sat in was larger than any other in Hogwarts, and had most likely been used as a Duelling room, if the raised platform in the middle was anything to go by. Eighty students sat in the seats surrounding it, since the majority of Hogwarts students had elected to continue it for their NEWTs. And James wasn't happy about the fact that he would have to teach possible Death Eaters.

"Now, since we have new students in the class, I'm going to set up a little duelling practice to see where everyone is." He looked around the room, noticing the eagre look on Ron and Daniel's faces, the frown on most of the Durmstrang students and the apathetic reactions from the rest of the students. "Please stand."

Chairs scraped as they all stood, and with a wave of his wand, James banished the chairs back against the walls. The students began to talk excitedly and he smirked smugly. Until he caught the disappointed looks on the Durmstrang students faces.

"Is something the matter?"

Harry shook his head at his father. "We can't duel your students."

Instantly there was an uproar, but the twenty-three students remained silent, watching with hooded eyes.

"And why is that? Are you afraid that we can beat you?" Daniel glared at his twin. He had joined a Duelling Club the moment he was of age and was quite proud of his abilities.

"Oh, shove it, Potter. They're from Durmstrang, surely you realise those students are some of the best duellers in the Wizarding world." Draco sneered at the furious Gryffindor's. "Personally I believe we should see them duel each other. Than we would know their own abilities."

Harry nodded at the blonde. It was a better idea at any rate; they were used to duelling one another. "I agree. I would rather not cause undue harm."

James was annoyed that his idea had been dismissed by people half his age. But he had to admit, that Draco had a point. "Very well, up on the stage, in pairs now."

Mere shook her head and nudged Darren, who grinned back at her. "We duel a little differently, Professor."

"Really, now? And what would be so different?"

Darren smirked. "Free for all."

With that twenty-two students raised their wands, flicking them and creating a dome around the platform. They grinned at each other and jumped up onto it, easily passing through the shield. They spaced themselves around the area, a few deciding the ground was a better starting place.

"Rules are," Harry called with a smile flitting about his face. "No Unforgiveables, nothing that would cause mortal harm. When you are knocked out, wandless," He smirked at that. "Or if First Blood is called, you are to leave the area immediately. If you are unable to leave, one of us will spell you out. Any objections?"

No one said a word. Mere raised her wand and shot purple sparks into the air. "Let's get this on!"

It was a show of such ability that James and the Hogwarts students could only stare, open mouthed, as colourful beams of light danced around, missing the combatants and slamming into the shield and vanishing. After five minutes, one student went down and was instantly sent to the safety outside the shield. Ten minutes later, and Marci limped outside, a cut on her arm bleeding slightly. When James moved forward to heal it, she waved him off and sent him a hurt glare. With a flick of her wand the cut vanished and the unconscious student was awake again.

It took almost half an hour before ten students were relaxing outside the dome. They all watched avidly as, seemingly on cue and in perfect unison, the remaining twelve turned their wands on Harry, who widened his eyes as a dozen blue beams shot towards him. Ducking, he rolled on the ground and flicked his fingers towards the group. The red ball slammed into two students, and they skidded across the floor and out of the duelling area.

A purple jet of light soared towards him and he casually sidestepped it, a smirk on his face and the emerald eyes practically glowing with power and glee. A sudden burst of magic rippled towards the remaining ten and seven ducked to the ground. The other three gasped as their breath was stolen and they were knocked out. A wave of a wand had them floating into Marci's capable hands.

Darren grinned and sent a sickly yellow spell at Harry, who swore and rolled out of the way. The spell followed him and no matter where he went it never once hit the dome or anyone else.

"Fucken stop it, Yealo!"

"In your dreams, Evans!"

Emerald eyes flashed and suddenly Harry was behind him. "Hello, Dazzabelle!"

The other six students laughed as Darren went bright red and spun around, only to feel himself flying back from a kick and sliding over the floor. When he stopped he was outside the dome and his wand floating in the air above him.

"I win, Dazza!"

"Fuck off!"

Harry laughed; ducking another spell and sending a white one back towards the caster. Ten minutes past before Harry was knocked out by Mere who was quite happily dancing around and cheering for herself.

"Ha! Take that you know it all little…little punk! I beat you!"

"Mere," Marci said as she cancelled the dome. "Harry can't hear you."

"And _that_ is exactly why I'm doing this now, rather than when he can beat me up again."

James stared as the twenty-two conscious students laughed. He hadn't seen such intense duelling since the last skirmish with Death Eaters over six months ago. And he had never expected to ever see such young students who were more than capable of holding their own. The problem he did have, was that half of the spells they had used were Dark spells and illegal.

"You lot are aware that you could be sent to Azkaban for half of those spells?"

Mere glared at him, stepping down from the raised platform. "So? That's in _your_ country. None of the spells we cast are illegal in Bulgaria, and since we go to school _there_, I doubt we could ever get in trouble _here_."

James frowned. "You're in this country, and are at this school, so you come under our jurisdiction."

Harry groaned, blinking blearily. He smiled gratefully as Marci helped him up. He could hear people arguing and frowned slightly.

"Mere is arguing with Professor Potter over whether or not we can get sent to Azkaban for the spells we used. Apparently some of them are illegal."

Harry shook his head and stood, his legs wobbling slightly. Clearing his throat, he sighed. "SILENS!"

The Durmstrang students instantly silenced. Once again, Ron found himself curious as to how one Latin word, which he knew for sure wasn't a spell, could work in quieting them down.

"Now, just so that we are all clear, and so that no more arguments will arise," he shot a look to Mere who shrugged at him. "We were given immunity from the British Ministry for Magic, or more specifically, the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, when it comes to illegal spells, so long as we do not use an Unforgivable curse. We can't go to Azkaban for any spells, because none of them are illegal in the country which our school resides in. Clear?"

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Charms was their last class for the day. Wearily they trudged to the classroom, ignoring the chirpy voice of Filius Flitwick and dropping into their seats. Closing his eyes, Harry let his head thump onto the desk, willing that he could simply fall into a big, fluffy bed and sleep forever.

_Would I be invited to this bed?_

Harry mentally snorted. _Not if I want to sleep. Hours of sex might be the most wonderful way to past the time, but I feel as if I could sleep for a week._

_Too bad you're stuck with Gryffindor's now, huh?_

_Don't remind me._

No matter what they did, the entire seventh year was fast falling asleep. Hermione smiled softly at them and diligently took notes down, writing out the spell and the movements. While she was aware of the fact that they were far beyond the Hogwarts education, she had no idea whether or not they had practiced the spell to show one's abilities and potentials.

Flitwick, despite the glares he received from Daniel and Ron, allowed them to sleep on. He had been impressed when James had shared the story of their 'free for all' duel. If they could fight for that long, against each other, and hold barely anything back, than they already had a good grip on Charms. Besides, they were at least three to four years ahead in the three classes they had had so far.

Lily had also told him that he shouldn't expect them to pay much attention; they got bored when someone attempted to teach them something they had learned years ago. He was just looking forward to seeing what they could do next lesson.

A soft snore filled the room and Draco, in a rare act of kindness, cast a silencing spell over them and merely smiled as they slept through the arguing of Ron and Daniel. He hadn't spoken to any of them, but those who had ended up in his own House had made it perfectly clear that out of all the Houses, Slytherin would probably be the only one the shared anything in common with.

That, and the show of easiness they had with the Dark Arts intrigued him beyond everything.

**A/N:** I freely admit that the nicknames for Darren (Dazzabelle and Dazza) were taken from a dear friend, Anne. There's a guy at work called Darren and she nicknamed him that, and since I sort of based Darren's personality on work-Darren, the names suited the situation. Kee…

For everyone curious about how Harry became an Assassin, only a few more chapters…And for those wondering about how Harry came to be with Tom, will that isn't until chapter fifteen…Kee…


	9. The First Week

**A/N:** I think I've probably said this a million times, but I LOVE you guys! Ahem. Yes, well... If anyone has any prank ideas, remember, the best three will be given a cameo appearance in a later chapter as either a Mage, Spy, Healer, Master, Vampire or Demon, because I have actually run out of ideas for those characters...Oh! And if anyone can give me tips on writing politics, that would great, because I seriously suck at it. Kee...

**Chapter Nine-- The First Week, As Seen By Durmstrang**

The first week at Hogwarts was, to put it bluntly, horrible. One bad and uncomfortable situation after another until every single Durmstrang student was so tightly wound that anyone in a year lower than sixth was scuttling away from them in pure fear. The fifth years, who were terrified of being ambushed, moved in small packs of three or four, regardless of their new Houses. It proved necessary when a group of sixth year Hogwarts students decided to try out a new hex they had found, which ended up with the unwilling participants hanging by their wrists from the high ceiling in one of the fourth floor corridors. That particular incident had resulted in the guilty party suddenly appearing in the Hospital Wing unconscious and covered in painful boils, with the word 'COWARD' permanently inked into the side of their necks.

The sixth years, the smallest group of the Durmstrang guests, were more confident of their abilities. They still moved in pairs though, and got into more than a few short duels with arrogant Hogwarts students. But, strangely, in the eyes of others, they took to defending Marci. She was the only one they would see for healing and, as such, her safety became paramount. The Hufflepuff's quite happily followed along, not willing to see any member of their House injured, whether they were permanent or temporary. As such, that House began to learn what they would never be taught at Hogwarts. In return, Marci taught a few of the seventh years how to heal most injuries by themselves.

The seventh years, however, proved to be the most capable. They dealt with any offensive action harshly, and had been responsible for the delivery to the Hospital Wing of the students guilty of the attack on the fifth years. The Ravenclaw's, under Hermione's guidance, quickly took to the Durmstrang students. They proved that good conversation was to be had, and in return for that, and a safe haven for those in Gryffindor House, Harry managed to procure some third year books for them. Far from being insulted, they readily admitted that the spells and information in those books far surpassed anything they had been taught.

The first night Harry, Darren, Karl and Laura had spent in Gryffindor tower had been tense. Laura was alone amongst the fifth year girls, and placed the most powerful wards around her bed and belongings. Despite the friendly nature of the girls she was incredibly wary. Ginny Weasley, a sixth year, the youngest of the Weasley clan and the only girl, had gradually gained some measure of trust, taking Laura under her wing and making sure that no harm befell her. Friendship was all she wanted, and without her own year group, Laura was more than willing to give it a go.

Harry was eternally grateful that Darren and Karl were there with him. He may have been the alpha of their pack, but he was still vulnerable here. He couldn't risk the student body finding out exactly what he was. And he couldn't always be on guard, he needed to rest and being here was tiring enough. Thankfully their beds had been placed next to each other, although Harry's trunk had been in front of the bed next to Ron's. Darren had quickly swapped them over, throwing the red head a grin. Karl had quietly, and efficiently, cast every defensive charm and ward spell he knew, which meant that their beds and belongings were almost an impenetrable fortress.

No matter how hard any of them tried, they still had to sit through class after class of things they had learned years ago. The only good thing was that Snape had taken to giving all of them, even the sixth and fifth years, suitably complicated potions. He always asked them to mask the taste and odour, and they always found a way. A sort of truce had sprung up between them all; they were pleased that they had something interesting to do, and he valued their thoughts and the random gifts of rare and outrageously expensive ingredients.

The one shining light for all of them was that Lily and Remus taught them after class each day. Instead of the standard Advanced Charms that Hogwarts taught, Lily was teaching them Defensive Charms, Ancient Incantations and Elemental Charms. Remus was teaching them a carefully selected group of Dark spells commonly used in combat, their counter curses, defences against them and, for the seventh years only, Shadows Spells, which could be used only when one was desperate enough, but the knowledge was good.

Hermione was endlessly jealous and had taken to begging Mere to teach her something. It wasn't working, which was annoying, because the amber-eyed blonde kept telling her that it wasn't her decision. Remus had left it up to Harry to elect any students he believed capable of casting any of the seriously advanced spells and charms that they were learning. It was this need to learn that had driven her out of the warm common room to the freezing, biting air outside.

Grimacing as her nose froze, Hermione trudged through the foot deep layer of snow. Harry was currently tending to the thirty pegasi down in the make shift stables near Hagrid's hut. The half-giant had been quite taken with the seventeen year old who had a talent for dealing with potentially dangerous, armoured, winged horses.

"Harry!"

Emerald eyes snapped open and he raised his head from where he had been resting it against the warm neck of a Pegasus. He grinned and waved at Hermione. "'Lo, Hermione."

She gave him a quick smile before rubbing her gloved hands against her cheeks, which were a lovely rosy colour from the cold air. "How can you stand it out here?" She gestured to the jeans and long sleeved shirt he was wearing. "It's freezing!"

"Bulgaria is colder, though I'm pretty sure you know that."

"And why would you think that?"

"You were briefly involved with Viktor Krum, weren't you?" She blushed and nodded. "He told me _all_ about you!"

"What?" She stared at him. "He didn't!"

"Oh yes. I believe he called you Herm-my-oh-niny, didn't he?"

She blushed and cleared her throat. "That's beside the point. So I was…interested in him for a time. So what?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." He flashed her a smile before lifting the brush he held and running it through the long white mane of the grey Pegasus. "So what brings you down here if it's too cold for you?"

She sighed and stuck her hands under her armpits. "I've been asking Mere if I could come to one of your lessons, after classes. She keeps telling me that your Headmaster has put you in charge of judging whether any of us can do it or not. I know I could do it, if you just give me a go!"

"Hermione," Harry shook his head and glanced out the corner of his eyes at her. "It's not about whether the person believes they can do it or not, though personally I think you're stubborn enough to try until it works, which is a Gryffindor trait by the way."

"You got put in there!"

He laughed. "I was supposed to be in Slytherin. But, no matter. Either way, everything we are learning now is linked to the Dark Arts in some way. And the Dark Arts can corrupt a person within only a short amount of time, so it's dangerous for just anyone to learn."

"But Death Eaters use the Dark Arts. I highly doubt that they are all capable of not being corrupted."

"True. But the Dark Arts here is drastically different to the view we have on it. A Dark spell is any spell that requires a strong emotion to be behind it, even a supposedly 'light' spell like the Patronus charm. A long time ago, what we call Dark Arts, was known simply as Empathic Arts, because of that emotional requirement. At the same time, the need for pur emotion can twist a person's soul beyond repair, hence the corruption."

She nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. "But you all are learning it. How can all of you be capable of casting the spells, and not being corrupted?"

"When Remus came to Durmstrang to teach Defence in my first year, he told Karkaroff that every new student should be tested for the strength of will required. Karkaroff thought it was a marvellous idea and implemented it immediately. There used to be a hundred and seventy two students in my year. There are only twenty-three who could successfully deal with the spells taught in sixth and seventh year. Everyone else either applied for certain classes, or found another school altogether."

Hermione sighed. "So the likelihood of me being strong enough is pretty slim."

He smiled at her, emerald eyes dancing with laughter. "We can still test you. Come next Tuesday. You never know what the results could be!"

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Harry stared at the owl sitting in front of him. It was a beautiful brown barn owl, common, but for the gold ring on its leg bearing the Gringott's seal. He blinked and it blinked back at him.

"**Are you going to open it, or can we eat it?"**

He looked down at Phanta, who was curled up on his lap, onyx eyes staring hungrily at the owl, who hooted indignantly. **"I don't think it would appreciate it. And the Goblins would probably call for my blood."**

There was a clatter and Harry looked up to see Daniel, Ron and several of their cronies staring at him in fear. Blinking, he shrugged and turned back to stare at the owl.

"Mate, if you are going to stare at that thing for another five minutes, I'll shove its feathers down your throat!"

Harry snorted as Karl pointed a fork at him. The fork reeked of magic. All of the Durmstrang students within the Werepack had taken to warding their utensils to avoid possible harm from the silver objects. Even the gold ones had faint traces of silver in them.

The owl hooted and Phanta rose until her front talons were gripping the red and gold tablecloth. **"It would be such a tasty snack, master…"**

"**Don't call me master."** He reached forward and picked up the envelope it had dropped before him. He absently gave it a piece of toast, watching as it swallowed it before flapping away.

"**I am hungry. The owl flew away, and you gave it food!"**

"**Hush."** He picked up a piece of bacon and gave it to the grumbling little faery dragon. He broke the wax seal on the back of the envelope and pulled out the piece of parchment within.

_Dear Mr Harry James Potter (now known as Evans),_

_As the eldest child of one James Hadrian Potter, you are entitled to the role of Heir Apparent. Since you're subsequent leaving of this country during your childhood, Mr Potter has attempted to remove you from this title. With your adult status and return to England, we are willing to give you the last say in this matter._

_As Heir Apparent of the Potter bloodlines you would be required to wear the Heir ring, and sign a form stating who, in the unlikely event of your demise, should then step up to the role. We beseech you to think this over properly and get back to us as soon as you possibly can._

_Ragnaw,_

_Manager of Gringott's Bank, London Branch, Diagon Alley_

Harry raised an eyebrow and glanced up at James. So, his father had attempted to remove his right to heirdom? Very well. Then he would remove the right to choose from his father. Pulling a book of parchment and a self-inking quill from his shoulder bag, he lazily waved his hand, casting a spell so that no one could read what he was writing.

_Dear Mr Ragnaw,_

_I am pleased to hear that you and your brethren have protected my right to take the role of Heir Apparent. Since my father and I are rather estranged at the moment, and it is likely to never end, I would like for you to draw some papers up for me. I wish to assume the role of Heir Apparent, and to, in the even of my demise, gift it to a dear friend and almost sister, Merena Swiner._

_I warn you though, if you ever send mail to her, do not call her Merena. It is Mere, or she is likely to curse you and all of your brethren to hell and back._

_Thankyou for your letter, and I look forward to receiving my papers._

_Regards,_

_Harry James Evans_

Casting a nervous glance to make sure that no one was watching him. He spelled some hot wax onto the parchment next to his name, before hesitantly pressing a ring on his right index finger to it. Staring down at the insignia now sharply indented on the wax, he sighed and folded the letter up, resealing it with more wax and, again, pressing the ring to it.

Looking down, he noticed that Phanta had quite happily commandeered his entire plate and was busy shovelling it all in as fast as she could. He smiled fondly down at her, not for the first time wishing that she were allowed to accompany him to classes. Unlike Durmstrang, familiars were a rare occurrence in Hogwarts and Dumbledore had made it quite clear that they were to stay in their dorms. Not that it stopped the creatures from creeping out at meal times.

Onyx eyes glittered and the silver dragon leaped onto the table. Darren was eyeing her warily, one arm curling around his plate protectively. Phanta wasn't likely to take food from the dishes lining the centre of the table; she believed that food tasted better when taken from someone else's plate. Usually that was Harry, but she had already consumed all of his food. With a hiss and a snort, she bypassed him and prowled down the table. Her wings were raised and her tail whipped from side to side, much like a dog's would. Sniffing, she caught the scent of the most wondrous food in the world; _bacon_.

Ron shrieked as a silver blur barrelled into his plate, which was full of bacon and eggs, but mostly bacon. Phanta whipped her tail and hissed in content as she gobbled his food down. Harry was so busy laughing that he missed the angry glare the red head sent his way.

"Get out of it you disgusting serpent!"

"**Serpent! He calls me a serpent! Is the foolish wizard blind or has his hair ruined his intelligence!"**

Harry levelled a glare on the red head. **"Come here, Phanta."** The dragon easily slipt down the table, before climbing up his arm and wrapping herself around his neck. "That was uncalled for, Weasley."

"That-that _thing_ ate my food!"

Ginny, who had slightly darker hair than her brother and kind brown eyes, frowned from her seat across from Laura. "Ron, really! You eat enough that I doubt it'll even ding your appetite."

"Well if I fill my plate up, it'll probably eat it again!"

"**He's right, you know."** Phanta pushed her head against Harry's cheek. **"I would love nothing more than to eat all his food."**

"Nonsense, Ron." Ginny waved her hand and promptly ignored her brother.

Darren raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching as he attempted to smother the laughter threatening to spill out. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Phanta is likely to eat whatever she can see!"

The red head frowned in confusion. "Well, there's plenty of food in front of us."

Harry snorted. "I don't think she's ever eaten anything that didn't origionally come from someone else."

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Harry sighed as he leaned back against the hard trunk of a tree. His eyes glowed in the night and he wrapped his arms around himself, before sinking to the ground. A silvery shape floated past him and a fleeting smile graced his lips.

"**Master has a job for Phanta?"**

"**Stop calling me Master."** Harry frowned, pulling out the letter for Gringott's. **"And yes, I do have something for you to do."**

The little dragon landed on the ground before him, cocking her head to the side in curiosity. **"What is it?"**

"**I need you to take this to the Gringott's branch in Diagon Alley. And make sure that no one but the manager reads it. I can't have my…father attempt to head this off."**

Phanta cooed. She climbed up his legs, perching on his knees. She pushed her head against his cheek, sending a rush of warmth through him. **"You miss Master Mate."**

He closed his eyes and nodded. A rush of magic had them snapping open again. **"What did you do?"**

"**Made it so that Master Mate can come visit you. I will deliver the mail, and I will keep it safe!"** She cooed once more, before leaping off his knees and gliding away into the night.

_Tom?_

_Harry?_ He could feel the surprise drifting down the link. _Is something wrong?_

_No. Can you come see me?_

_I don't think the wards will let me, love. Not unless Dumbledore suddenly decided to allow you back into your dorms?_

_No. But Phanta took pity on me. The wards will let you in, and Dumbledore won't ever know you were here._

"You look like hell."

Emerald eyes flashed open and up, to see Tom smiling softly down at him. Harry drinked in the image of his mate, his werewolf half settling from the jumpiness that had invaded him all week. "Tom."

Tom kneeled down, taking in the appearance of the young teen. There were faint circles under his eyes and he looked as if hell had suddenly decided to wage war on him personally. He sat down next to him, leaning his back against the tree and pulling the raven-haired werewolf to him, settling him between his legs.

Harry sighed as he leaned back, warmth radiating from Tom. The scent of his mate, that of winter breezes and cinnamon, surrounded him, made him feel safe once more. "I've been so…so…"

"Tightly wound?" Tom sighed and wrapped his arms around the smaller frame of his mate. "I could feel it, you know. There was nothing I could do, because I know just how important this mission is. But there isn't anything, _anything_, I wouldn't give for you to not have to go through this."

Harry hummed, closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax as much as he ever could; which wasn't a lot, all things considered.

Tom caught a glimpse of something silver on Harry's tanned fingers. Picking his right hand up he examined the ring. It was a thick silver band, with a black blade slanting across it and a small emerald imbedded within the onyx. "I haven't seen you wear this for a long time," He murmured.

Harry nodded, gazing at the pale fingers intertwined with his own. "I never really had any reason to wear it. Never felt in danger like this."

FLASHBACK

_Harry leaned his shoulder against the cold stonewall. His emerald eyes glowed from within the shadows of his hood, gazing over the people gathered in the hall. He picked out the different Guild members, knowing all the while that his own faction were doing exactly what he was doing. It was hard to forgo all the training and instincts that had been honed to perfection._

_"Grey?"_

_For a moment, Harry didn't even react to the name; it was so new to him. But then his mind seemed to finally register the fact that someone had addressed him and he casually let his gaze settle on a figure standing by him. He nodded respectfully, "Guild Master."_

_The man chuckled. "Ah, Grey, formalities are not required from one as skilled as yourself."_

_The fourteen year old snorted. "Right. Never mind the age factor."_

"_Age is of no consequence here. You know very well that there are Healers and Mages as young as seven."_

"_True," He mused. "But Assassins tend to be fully qualified before recruitment."_

"_Yes, I do suppose you were a curiosity for many of us, but I do not regret the fact that our Guild took you in."_

"_My mum would probably strangle you if she knew half of what I've done."_

_The Guild Master laughed lightly. "Your mother truly is a wrathful witch and I do not believe any of us would willingly face her temper."_

"_Not even Remus sticks around when that happens." Letting his eyes trail around the room, he spoke in a soft voice, "What is it a can do for you?"_

"_My dear boy, it is not what you can do for me, but what I can do for you."_

_Emerald eyes narrowed slightly. "Like what?" Instincts were springing up and, despite the fact that he respected the cloaked man before him; he was suddenly viewing him as a threat._

"_Calm down. I merely wish to give you a gift." He held out a gloved hand. In his palm sat a glittering silver ring. "It has the strongest protection charms I could place on it; more than a few I picked up after looking into the curriculum at Durmstrang. The band will not burn you, despite its silver properties."_

_Harry reached out and picked the ring up. He stared down at. It was a thick silver band, with an onyx dagger diagonally slashing over it. In the hilt of the small dagger, was a tiny emerald, which winked up at him in the low light. "It's beautiful sir."_

"_It is befitting, I believe, since you do favour a black dagger, do you not?"_

_Harry looked up sharply. "Yes, I can't use most normal daggers. Besides, this one's a little more interesting." He grinned, even though it couldn't be seen. "More useful."_

"_I imagine so. Though, I must admit, the Mages were quite upset when they realised you had discovered the Nexus Blade."_

"_They can't wield it, so I see no reason for them to have it." He closed his eyes a moment. "And as much as I loathe to admit it, they don't have the strength or power to even touch it."_

_"Loath to admit, indeed."_

END FLASHBACK

Tom snorted. "What? Facing my Death Eaters and me wasn't danger enough? Even back then?"

"No." Harry grinned as he twisted his head around; Tom was frowning and glaring at him. "Honestly, Tom, it isn't an insult. But they were out of practice, and you had just been reborn. Not to mention the fact that they too busy trying to grab a hold of the precious Boy Who Lived to even notice who, or what, I was."

"And the excuse now?"

"Incompetence."

**A/N:** Guess what? Next chapter is completely dedicated to how Harry became an Assassin, with a few snippets fom his younger years thrown in! Kee...


	10. The Past and Grey Beginnings

**A/N:** Okay, so here is this long awaited chapter that (hopefully) explains a little of how Harry became who and what he is…sort of. I just hoped I picked the right parts of his life to show it all.

In response to **kayla**'s review: Firstly, thankyou for your review. I love reviews and appreciate constructive (and informative) criticism greatly, it helps to see what I can change in future chapters, since some reviewers have influenced a few ideas, although I'm ashamed to admit I forget who influenced what. Will remedy that some time soon, promise. As for my characterization of James, who is only a side-character if you will, I realise that he was friends with Remus, who is a werewolf, during his school years and even slept in the same room as him for the same amount of time. He's mostly against Harry because of his _Hecatamus_ blood. I was going to explain it in one of the chapters I'm working on now, but just in case, I'll outline it a little here. James is a pureblood, and most purebloods know exactly what Hecatamae are and what they are capable of, which is a great deal of destruction. It doesn't matter that they are classified as Light creatures, they have an unnatural control of magic. He's been brought up to be against anyone displaying Hecatamae characteristics, even though they may not have the blood. So when he calls Harry 'dirty', he's not referring to his werewolf blood. As for how he treats Harry as a werewolf…when Daniel became the BWL, he started listening to Dumbledore, who, at the time, viewed Harry as both a dangerous individual and a powerful weapon to be moulded and used. He had perfect control over his transformations, which makes him even more dangerous, even at such a young age.

Sorry, but it was an Anonymous review and I wanted to reply, even though I'm not sure if she's still reading as it was a review yesterday to chapter two…

Anywhoo…I reached 100 reviews! Thankyou to everyone who has reviewed, read and placed this on your favourite/alert list. I'm not sure I would have even continued posting it if you guys hadn't given me the push I needed. Already working on chapter eighteen now…

This will be set out similar to chapter one, since some people said it was confusing, I've added the years and age. Except for the start, which takes place during the time of Lily's letter to James.

**Chapter Ten-- The Past and Grey Beginnings**

Harry looked up as his mother rushed past him. There was a frown creasing her forehead and she was nervously biting her lower lip; a habit he had happened to of picked up from her. "Mum?"

"What is it, Harry?"

She didn't stop. Waving her wand, several items flew into the air and settled themselves neatly into a bag she had conjured. Harry frowned. His mother was never like this. She was always calm and collected. Except when his father attacked him.

"Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, dear. Nothing's wrong."

"But you're not okay."

Lily sighed. Harry had always been a perceptive child with a higher than usual intelligence thanks to both his Hecatamus and werewolf blood. "No, Harry, I'm not okay."

Harry stood up from the table, placing his book onto its polished surface, and made his way over to his mother. She looked down at him with a sad look in her jade eyes, yet there was a stubborn pride shimmering there as well. "Can you tell me?"

With a small, wavering smile, she nodded. "We're leaving, Harry. I can't stand watching your father abuse you so, and ignore just how special you are."

Harry grinned up at his mother. He knew that his blood, his abilities, his strange control over magic and his wolf self had caused more than a few problems between his parents. He was sad about that, but he knew that there was really nothing he could do. His mother had asked his father to change, and nothing had happened. It wasn't his fault.

Nodding he bit his own lower lip. "Where are we going?"

Lily ruffled his raven locks and began to wave her wand again, before moving from the room. "To see your godfather first. He deserves the right to know where we will be, because your father is likely to question him straight away. Then, perhaps, we might go to Europe. Maybe France or something. We can't let you go to Hogwarts now…"

"Durmstrang."

"What?"

Harry beamed up at his mother. "Durmstrang. I've been reading all about it, and they teach more advanced magic than Hogwarts. And they won't force me to have a wand."

"You wouldn't be able to use one, anyway."

"But Dumbledore would make me, wouldn't he?"

Lily frowned. She wasn't quite sure about Durmstrang. The school was rumoured to have taught the Dark Arts and she was certainly sure she didn't want her son to learn them. "Why there, Harry?"

Harry frowned. He held his hand out and with a swish, a silver mist formed into a small dragon. The Patronus glided around the room, before dissipating. "How can I learn anything at Hogwarts, when I've read all your school books and can do magic that some older witches and wizards never manage?"

She knew he was right. Harry had an uncanny ability to pick up on the undercurrents of conversations, reading between the lines in books. She supposed that Remus and her had helped it along. The massive tomes they had given him supplied her oldest child with all that he needed at his young age. But Durmstrang?

"We'll discuss this later, when I have more time to do my own research." She flicked her wand and summoned the two trunks she had packed while Harry had been reading. His own banged up trunk, which had been given to him by Sirius, hovered in the air a moment before dropping with a thud to the floor by his feet. "Make sure everything you want is in there. I'm sure we can resize it--."

Harry waved his hand, the lid flipping open. There was a flash of light and every single possession he had was suddenly in there, minuscule compared to ordinary size. His mother cut herself off mid-sentence and blinked at him, before a laugh bubbled forth and she wrapped him in a warm hug. He smiled as he wrapped his own arms around her.

A few minutes later, and after having helped his mother ensure all of her belongings were safely in her own trunk, he watched as she placed a letter on the mantel above the fireplace, leaning it against a family photo. His own photo self, at the tender age of seven, was having a staring match with Daniel's photo self.

Lily sighed before turning to Harry. "Could you make it so James will notice it? I'm not sure I even know of a spell…" She trailed off and bit her lip.

Harry gave her an unsure smile. He really didn't want to leave. "Are you sure mum?"

"Of course I am! Harry, James was abusing you!"

"But," he was slightly confused. "Don't you love him?"

Lily shook her head, fiery strands flying about. "No, I'm not sure I ever did. I wanted him, and I liked him, very much so. But I don't think I loved him. Do you understand, Harry?"

He nodded, even though his nine-year-old mind didn't quite grasp the concepts his mother was talking about, but he was sure he would in time. Confidently, he raised his arm, holding his palm towards the letter. Magic flowed form his fingertips, the multi-coloured tendrils wrapping around the letter and it glowed a moment. When the light died down, nothing seemed different, but they could both feel the magic radiating from the letter. James wouldn't be able to ignore it, even if he never actually laid eyes on it first. The magic would pull him to it, force him to read it as soon as he stepped inside the house.

"Alright then, Harry. Let's go, shall we?"

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**1991, Durmstrang, Eleven Years Old, First Year Dorms**

Harry bit his lip nervously as he took his surroundings in, curiosity rearing up and taking control. His emerald eyes were bright as they devoured the warm browns and golds, mixed with a healthy helping of black. The stonewalls were draped with beautiful tapestries depicting peaceful glades or gripping battle scenes. Outside, he knew, the corridors and walkways were a winding mass of confusion, and he gripped his map tighter in his hand where he held it in his jacket pocket.

There was no real uniform here. Heavy, fur lined, cloaks were used most of the year, but you could wear what you wanted beneath them. It suited Harry, because he had his own personal style, and he had been rather reluctant to give it up. His mother was also here, and Remus too. Lily had agreed to allow him to attend, but had insisted that she be as close as possible. Karkaroff hadn't even thought of knocking her back after seeing her ability in Charms, but she would be learning Darker spells, more complex ones, in order to teach the older years. Remus had managed to convince her that Dark spells weren't to be feared, but understood, even as he filled the position of Defence.

With a soft sigh, he took another step further into his new common room. As a first year, his choice of roommate had been done for him, and he was apprehensive as to how well he would get along with them. Having spent the last six months wandering around the school, he knew it well, knew the magic that hummed in it. And he had met several other students as well.

Sitting by the large fireplace, was a girl with long platinum blonde hair. Her hard hazel eyes were dazing with the fire's reflection. No one else seemed to want to go near her and Harry found this curious. Summoning his courage, and shoving his nervousness aside, he walked silently forward.

"Hello," He said softly as he sat on the couch next to her, careful to keep a socially acceptable distance between them, but not far enough to insult her. "My name is Harry Evans."

The name was true. He and his mother refused the name of Potter. As far as he was concerned, it was an insult.

Hazel eyes flickered over to him before focusing on the fire again. "Aren't you going to scream and run away?"

He blinked, slightly confused. "Why would I want to do that?"

She fixed him with an unwavering gaze. "Everyone here knows who I am." She sniffed slightly, a small show of her sadness. "Surely you do as well?"

Harry frowned. It was true that she looked slightly familiar, but her name was a little elusive. With a sigh, he switched his gaze to the fire. "To be honest, I can't remember who you are. You're familiar and all, but I don't really care. I hope that isn't insulting, or anything."

"Quite the contrary, Mr Evans." She was smiling softly at him. "If you don't care who I am, than I don't care that your younger twin is the Boy Who Lived!"

Harry laughed. "That would be great. The quicker my…_father_ gets over the loss of my mother, the happier I'll be. It's only been in the papers for the last two years!"

The girl laughed at him, startling several of the other students who turned and gaped at the pair. "Oh yes, I read the article where he talked about their school years. What was it he said? 'We were meant for each other, and were glued to the hip from the beginning'?"

Harry snorted. "My mother and godfather tell a different story. Apparently he was always bumbling around, trying to impress her with grand feats of stupidity!"

She grinned widely now. "I gather you don't like him much?"

"No." Harry sighed and shook his head. "He was never very nice to me, what with my dir…never mind."

"Look, if I tell you my name, will you tell me about it?"

He eyed her cautiously. "Perhaps, if you prove trustworthy first."

"A good way to go about it." She stuck her hand out. "The name is Merena Swiner, though if you ever call me that I'll gladly feed you to the Chimera. It's Mere, and nothing else."

With a flourish, Harry took her hand and pressed a chaste kiss to her knuckles, eliciting a laugh. With a wink, he smiled widely at her, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance Mere."

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**1992, Durmstrang, Twelve Years Old, Archery Field**

Harry raised an eyebrow at the teacher. "A dare?"

"Yes, Evans, I dare you to hit that target at the back."

Emerald eyes flickered over to the indicated target. It was more than a thousand metres away. "No one has ever hit that."

His teacher frowned down at him. "If you hit it, I'll give your friends passing grades."

The four second years sitting on the log benches straightened up a little. None of them could even fire an arrow, let alone hit a target. Mere snorted from where she stood beside Harry. Her once hazel eyes were now a burning amber colour, courtesy of her wereleopard cousin, Lonah, having accidentally bitten her over the summer holidays.

"Sure, Harry. Just hit the target out there to make us all feel small."

Harry shot Mere a grin. "Alright. I'll try."

"Good luck, Evans."

Harry notched an arrow and raised the bow. He pulled the string back and rested his cheek on his knuckles, sighting down the arrow. He waited a moment, testing the wind direction and distance. He shifted his aim and pointed the arrow almost straight up. He looked at the target once more, before releasing the arrow and relishing the _twang_ of the string. The arrow sailed through the air, arcing gracefully before slamming into the very centre of the red and white target. The right target. The target that no one had ever hit. The target over a thousand metres away.

"Shit."

"Don't swear, Miss Swiner." The teacher turned fathomless black eyes on Harry. "Meet me in my office after dinner, Evans. And your friends have their pass grades."

Harry blinked as he was engulfed in a five-person sandwich, with him as the filling.

Later that night, Harry cautiously made his way down to his teacher's office. The man was simply called Pan, no last name or anything. Just Pan. He had always intrigued Harry, making him seek the man out and ask for more training. The target incident earlier hadn't been the only time Harry had managed to do something extraordinary. In free-for-all duels, he somehow managed to survive longer than most of the second years and found it easy to merely side step the spells sent his way.

Of course, his Hecatamus blood made it easy to manipulate said spells, but he wasn't about to tell anyone that.

Knocking on the door softly, Harry entered and nervously closed it again. Pan gave him a tight smile and waved him into a seat before his desk.

"Now, Evans, you are not in trouble so stop it with this nervous crap. I know you well enough to recognize the mask."

Harry glared as he dropped the shy demeanour he adopted in front of the general population. Mere was exempt, as was a boy named Darren that he shared his dorm with, they knew him far too well to believe it. "What was it you were after, sir?"

Pan regarded Harry a moment, seeming to finally come to a decision. "What do you know of the Guild's Harry?"

Now that was an odd question. "There are eleven Guild's, two elected members sit on the Council. Each Guild represents a certain group from the magical world. Sir, what has this got to do with today?"

"The only people who have ever hit the target you so easily hit have belonged to the Assassin's Guild. The reason no one has been able to hit it, besides these people, is because there is an extremely strong spell placed over it. This spell will only allow those worthy of the title of Assassin, to even hit a part of the target. And you hit the dead centre." He steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them. "Did you know that it took me an hour to get the arrow out? It was embedded halfway into the target."

Harry blinked. It was all he could do. Just blink.

"I suppose this is a shock, and I have no doubt that once you get over it, you will realise what this means."

A few seconds passed before Harry blinked again, shaking his head. "Are you telling me…that I have…potential, to be an Assassin?"

"Yes."

"No. No way. I'm _twelve_!"

"Age is no factor."

"I'm twelve, Pan! Twelve! I've barely begun to learn complicated magic and I--."

"Am a Hecatamus?" Harry froze, his eyes widening slightly. "A magical being more powerful than an Elemental? Rarer than anything else in this world?"

"How do you know that?" Harry's voice was barely a whisper.

"I have my ways. I noticed it when you became friends with Miss Swiner. Your magic practically enveloped her, defending her from cowardly attacks. I also know that you are a werewolf. A curious combination."

Harry was suddenly aware of something probing his mind; with a snarl he shoved it away and slammed his shields up full force, his magic instinctively seeking out the intruder. Pan was forcibly bound to his chair, dark eyes wide in surprise.

"What the hell was that for!"

"I had to know if you were right!"

"Right for what?"

Pan glared at Harry. "For the training of an Assassin. It takes a special individual; it's an art and not one to be taken lightly. I had to be sure."

"Are you?"

"Yes. More sure than anything."

Releasing Pan from the magical bonds, Harry forced himself to relax a little. "So who are you to the Guilds?"

"I'm an Assassin as well, though I rarely take on any missions any more. My brother is a Master of Potions and belongs to the Masters Guild." He could see that Harry wanted something else. "My full name?" At the nod he sighed. "Very well. My name is Panah Snape. And the Guild Council has requested that I teach you how to be an Assassin."

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**1993, England, Thirteen Years Old, Guild Council Chambers**

Harry glared at the man in the dais to his left. Pan was smirking down at him and it was downright infuriating. So he had passed his test with flying colours, the man didn't need to gloat!

"Well done, Mr Evans." A demon peered down at him. "It seems that Pan was not joking when he said you would be a prodigy."

"Hush, now." The Angel beside him gave Harry a beautiful smile that chased away the shadows. Her silver eyes sparkled as she spoke. "Now, Mr Evans, I believe you have earned this, several times over."

With a wave of her hand, a brooch appeared, floating before Harry. Without even realising he was doing it, his magic wrapped around the item, testing it before he reached out and grabbed it, curling fingers around it. It was silver (though the metal did not burn him), onyx and jade, shaped in the same way as the Assassins Emblem, the crest of those few deemed worthy. It was a small group; Pan had been right when he told Harry that it was one of the hardest of the arts, for it required your everything.

"Thankyou."

It was barely a whisper, barely anything in the large chamber, but they all heard it loud and clear.

Pan shifted and spoke, "Now, your naming will take some time, as we need to see you in action first. Your first mission is before you."

A scroll flashed into being and, again, his magic surrounded it. There was a charm on this one and he frowned, looking up at the second representative of the Assassins. The woman glared down at him with crimson eyes. She had placed a burning charm on the scroll, specifically designed to attack him. The charm would only work with his blood, because it had been created for use on Hecatamae.

Choosing to say nothing, he cancelled the charm and unrolled the parchment.

**_Objective: Take out the current Head of Research at the British Ministry Of Magic_**

_**Location: London, England, British Isles**_

_**Target(s): Mr Heirrich Gundam, Madam Helena Railes**_

_**Notes: Discretion is priority. Ministry is likely to ignore an attack, but Unspeakables are located precisely three floors below target(s) location(s). Proceed with caution and leave the provided note on the desk of the Head of Research.**_

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**1993, Thirteen Years Old, British Ministry of Magic, Research Level**

He didn't feel nervous. Apathetic maybe, but not nervous. In fact, it had been surprisingly easy to slip in. Wrinkling his nose, Harry scanned the room before him. Dozens of offices were separated by opaque crystal walls, with clear areas designated as walkways. Stepping further into the room, his footfalls were utterly silent and his senses stretched out around him. A soft whisper of air signalled his magic flowing out around him, touching and moving over everything about him, searching for any danger.

He knew that Gundam and Railes were currently sharing a cup of tea in their shared office, something they did everyday after everyone else left. That had been easy to find, what had surprised him was their link to the second representative of the Assassins to the Council. He had investigated that, and was well prepared to act on his suspicions.

Nearing the enclosed office, he paused a moment and cocked his head to listen. Nothing moved, nothing but those within the office. No sounds bar those of merry laughter and the clinking of china. He didn't feel bad for destroying these people and their carefree laughter. They were investigating something quite dangerous to him and he could not allow it, mission or no mission he would still kill them.

He pressed himself against the wall and carefully, ever so slowly, opened the door. The two inhabitants continued to talk, not a break or pause in their conversation. A shiver of magic and he was invisible and sliding into the office, letting the door shut softly once more.

It was a homely looking place, cluttered with papers, filing cabinets, bookshelves and random objects, but homely all the same. It reminded him strongly of Remus' office at Durmstrang; warm and inviting, but strictly work related. His godfather had always been able to mix comfort and work together, no matter the situation. He missed Remus strongly, since he had taken a year off to search for something. Harry made a mental note to find out what when he could.

Gundam was a pale little man, with spidery fingers that wrapped around his mug elegantly. His golden blond hair was smoothed back and curled at the nape of his neck where it met the stark white robes he wore. Watery blue eyes crinkled in laughter and crows feet made themselves known at the corners of his eyes. This man was not the most dangerous of the two, but he had been given confidential information, tidbits of knowledge that could spell the end of the Assassins Guild.

Railes was completely opposite. She was an exotic beauty, and even with his Hecatamus self screeching that only his mate was beautiful, Harry could appreciate her. Dark brown hair curled around her shoulders, and large brown eyes sparkled with mirth. Her skin was a beautiful gold colour, darker than his, and blended with the beige robes she wore. It was Railes who was the one he needed to watch. She was rumoured to have discovered old texts that spoke of the Hecatamae, of their strengths and weaknesses. It wasn't the only magical creature they were researching. They had found out more on Angels and Demons than any other individual before them, and it was dangerous knowledge.

Moving slowly, silently, Harry crept up behind Gundam. The foolish wizard was yabbering on about some medi-witch and her team that had been treating a…_Hecatamus hybrid_. Harry froze. The only hybrid in existence was himself, which meant that the medi-witch the wizard spoke of had been the kind woman who had cared for him in his younger years. Anger sparked in his eyes and the emerald was suddenly filled with swirling gold. They wanted to arrest her! To throw her in Azkaban until she told them all she knew! And they were going to kill her team, those precious empathic witches and wizards who had been like a family to him!

No, Harry wasn't going to allow this.

A twist of his wrist had a blade slipping into his palm from its sheath on his forearm. It was a beautiful blade, and rarer than hell. The edges of the blade were lined in silver, but the metal was a shiny black that drew in the light and reflected back the shadows. The hilt was soft, supple leather with a single, milky white crystal embedded in it. At that moment, the crystal was tinged blood red.

Quick as a flash, Harry had both targets pinned to their chairs and the room became sound proofed. Casting aside the invisibility spell, he pressed the blade to Gundam's throat and whispered, "That medi-witch is a dear friend of mine, I hope she is not harmed." He slid the blade across the skin, passively watching in curiosity as the man gurgled and his blood coated his robes. It made for an interesting sight; pure white robes marred by life's blood.

Railes' dark eyes widened in fear and her skin paled in shock. She trembled slightly as Harry stepped nearer to her. "P-please! Don't k-kill me!"

He cocked his head to the side. His eyes glowed emerald and gold in the shadows of his hood, the strip of black cloth keeping his features safe from view. "Do tell me why I shouldn't."

The witch gasped. "You're a child!"

He snorted. "There are no children, only those far too immature to notice it." He leaned down and put his face before her's. "I hardly think that is a reason for sparing your life."

She swallowed. "I have information! Years of research, surely that is worth something?"

He stepped back and looked down and her. "Perhaps. What is it you have been researching?"

"Hecatamae, Angels, Demons. The Guild Council would have us believe they are harmless beings!"

"But you think they are dangerous?"

"Yes!" She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Hecatamae were always said to be merciless, powerful, deadly creatures with an insane blood lust. They could kill us all with nary a thought!" She took a deep breath, calming herself. "Angels may be the bringers of Life, but they are also the harbingers of Death! Fallen Angels exist everywhere; even the great Arc Angel Gabriel is a Fallen one. And Demons! They are nothing more than the bane of the earth! Beings created from the Sins of humanity, they have no purity in their veins!"

Harry shook his head, casting a bored look around the room. "Sounds prejudiced."

"No! My contact says that they are like that within the Coun--!"

Harry spun around and pinned her with a hard gaze. "Your contact, you say? That information could perhaps be worth your life."

Railes trembled beneath his gaze. "Sh-she is on the C-council!"

"What Guild?"

"A-a-assassin!"

He grinned behind the silky cloth over his mouth. "And her name?"

The poor witch seemed to relax, believing her life was saved. "They call her Dia, but her real name is Marie Falcour."

"Thankyou," He said softly and his dagger flashed again. "But your life is forfeit."

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

**1994, Fourteen Years Old, Residence of Marie 'Dia Venom' Falcour, Godric's Hollow**

He hadn't thought he would ever step foot in this sleepy little town ever again. Godric's Hollow had always been a sore point in his life, for it had been the beginning and the end of his time as a Potter. Harry sneered slightly as he spied his child hood home across the street. The house, or perhaps Manor, was massive and spanned almost the entire length of that side of the street. It had been small and quaint when he had been born, but his mother had told him that James believed that renovations had been required. And since the Potter family owned the entire town, no one had any problem with the family taking over the empty lots on either side. He much preferred the Potter Ancestral Manor a few miles away; there was a large forest on the property, which was perfect for running through.

Emerald eyes cast a glance up at the full moon and he shivered as her beams stroked tenderly across his skin. The wolf howled inside of him and Harry promised to run when this was done. He had worked on this for months, worked on ensuring the end of Dia's life. He had always hated the witch because she had a tendency to cast potentially deadly spells on him. The Guild Master knew that he was a hybrid and took great care to ensure his safety. The one thing Harry had to keep him safe from other Assassin's after this was the rock solid proof of her treachery.

The house before him would have been plain, boring, if it wasn't for the hidden scent of poisons and…something else. Dia had been given the second name of Venom because of her use of poisons in her hits and missions, and she took great pride in her concoctions. The problem was that Harry's nose kept twitching at the underlying scent, it was familiar and he somehow knew it was in danger.

Sparing a glance around him, Harry swiftly slid from human to wolf and loped around the house. He felt wards and spells slide over his fur before slipping back into place as if nothing had ever happened. He slowed down as he picked up a voice and his ears twitched in response.

"Silly, little, wolf. Trying to get away are we?"

In a silver cage suspended several feet in the air was a familiar looking shaggy coated grey wolf. Gold eyes glared down at the witch and a menacing growl filled the air. Harry knew what the scent was now, it was Fenrir Greyback.

Fenrir was the Alpha of the largest werewolf pack in Britain and had origionally been on Voldemort's side in the war. But when his beta, Remus Lupin, had reported that a tiny cut to a baby had resulted in a partially turned cub, he had switched sides in a dramatic blow to the dark. Harry had been that tiny babe. It had taken awhile but he had gotten the truth from Remus. Fenrir had come and given a bite to Harry on his arm, only a fortnight before that fateful Halloween night. The bite had healed until only one stubborn little cut remained and Harry had become the hybrid he truly was.

Letting loose a chilling howl, he slunk forward from the shadows, green gold eyes fixed on Dia. She laughed and prodded at Fenrir with a silver rod, resulting in a whine and a growl.

"Aw, look, wolfie, a wittle cub has come to save you! How cute." Her red eyes narrowed as the blue-black wolf picked itself up from the crouch it had been in, making it appear bigger and more dangerous. "_Impedimenta!_"

Harry growled and smoothly changed from wolf to human before sidestepping the spell. "Hello, Dia."

"You!"

"I do have a name, you know."

She glared at him before biting out, "Grey."

"Thankyou. Not so hard to have manners now, is it?"

"I didn't know it was you that the medi-witch talked about."

"So it was you who killed her." His eyes narrowed and flashed.

Dia laughed. "Of course! Who else, my dear? Though, I would've taken more precautions if I had known that you were this precious little hybrid." She grinned maliciously. "To think, you're not even partially human!"

Harry moved then. He was fast enough that her eyes were still focused on his previous spot when he pressed the black blade against her throat. "Was it worth it traitor?" He slid the blade across her throat and dropped her to the ground. He stared down at her, the first Assassin he had killed, but the eighth person to die by his hand, or more precisely, his blade.

He looked up at Fenrir, who watched him with calm eyes. A wave of his hand had the cage vanishing and the alpha dropping to the ground. In a swirl of fur and clothes, Harry changed into his wolf form and nudged the older wolf.

_Play!_

**A/N:** Gah, I feel so crap. My head is pounding, I'm sniffling every few seconds, my throat is sore and my muse is attempting to hide from me. Chapter eighteen is the slowest one to be written so far...


	11. Ill Fated Actions

**A/N:** To be honest, I'm a little worried about this chapter. Ever since I wrote it a few weeks ago, I've been contemplating simply not doing it, but I couldn't come up with another idea so...here we go. I hope you guys like this though. And please, take heed of the warning.

**WARNING: The following chapter will contain RAPE. While this will not be detailed intricately, there will be some mention of this act. If you are uncomfortable with reading such things, it is advised that you refrain from continuing past the part marked with (W). Continuing past that mark will be at your own discretion, and while it plays a part in the plot, the actual act will not make up a large part of this chapter. You have been warned.**

Chapter Eleven-- Ill Fated Actions

Soft snowflakes drifted down from the stormy heavens, giving a little bit of wonderland to the world. Harry gave a soft smile as he tipped his head back and felt their touch along his skin. He had always loved winter. It was full of stark contrasts, yet everything always found a way to meld together, making for a beautiful landscape during the time of both death and rebirth. It always made him laugh when people spoke of winter as if it were a Queen with an icy demeanour.

Mere glared at him and pulled her cloak tighter around her. "How can you possibly smile? It's freezing!"

"Honestly, Mere, this is like a cool breeze."

She frowned. "No, it's not. I'm fucking freezing!"

"No you're not." Darren smirked at her.

"I am too!"

"You don't have goose bumps yet."

"Stop staring at my skin!"

Harry laughed as Mere lunged and Darren skipped a few steps away. They had somehow managed to survive their first week and a half at Hogwarts, with only minimal problems. Minimal meaning that only fourty seven students had ended up with detention every night, and only one Gryffindor had ended up with a broken nose and a rather painfully swollen black eye. Surprisingly it hadn't been Daniel, but Ron. Daniel had learned fast that anyone from Durmstrang had a large arsenal of painful hexes and were likely to cast first and ask questions later. Ron was simply pig headed and, in Harry's opinion, rather stupid to boot.

Marci had been kept on her feet with the constant ebb and flow of hexed, jinxed or cursed students. The Hufflepuff's had warily allowed her to let members of other Houses in so they could be treated and an easy camaraderie had sprung up between them all.

Harry had been given a personal detention, which he had refused to attend, with Dumbledore after the altercation with Ron. It didn't matter how many times he told the red headed idiot, he kept on attacking him. It was strange that all the attacks ended up with Harry pressed up against a wall. But he wasn't stupid. He knew that Ron Weasley was out for Hermione Granger, so he wasn't interested in Harry _that_ way. But still, it worried him a little. Particularly with everyone seeming to think that Harry and Hermione's friendship was something more, which had caused more than one fight, both with Gryffindor's and with Tom.

His mate was endlessly jealous due to his own belief that Harry was a walking sex bomb. He was probably biased and Harry had told him that he hadn't even thought of anyone in any other way than platonic since their bonding. Which was true, he really hadn't, despite teenage hormones and all. No, everything was directed towards Tom and Tom only, it always had been.

Grinning as his closest friends pushed and shoved each other, he turned to Marci who walked quietly beside him. "Something wrong?"

She looked up at him, pale gold eyes framed by dark lashes that blinked the snow away. "No, not really. Just wondering when all this dancing around will come to a point."

"Hmm. I suppose that maybe we should choose you a fifth year to train?"

Marci grinned at him. "Oh, I've already chosen one. He's in Slytherin, but he has a tender touch. Not quite a Healer, but close…ish."

He smirked and looped an arm around her shoulders, leaning down and whispering in her ear, "Has our little Healer found her mate…"

She squeaked and shoved him away, a blush rising as she whispered furiously, "You nasty little…why, I ought to…stop laughing at me!"

Harry couldn't help it. He laughed freely, letting it bubble up and out of him, releasing a week and a half's worth of tension. Looking around the quaint little Wizarding town of Hogsmeade, he ignored the Hogwarts students in favour of shops. He spied one in particular that would help further the easing of tension.

"Hey, Dazza!"

Darren spun around from where he had been taunting Mere. "Yup?"

"There's a joke shop here, Zonko's." Harry pointed down the street at a store with a brightly lit up front.

"Oh, goody. I need new stuff to terrorise the wittle wions!"

"Oh god. Harry, we've created a monster!" Mere mocked a faint, falling into Harry's outstretched arms before he copied her. They ended up in the cold snow, laughing merrily at the world.

Walking down the street, Harry frowned at the feeling of being watched, but put it down as nothing more than other students. Looking up at the swinging sign, he almost laughed. _Zonko's Wizarding Joke Shop, a part of the WWW Corporation_ was sprawled across the faded wood.

A bell tingled above the door as they entered and a warm blast of air had a rosy colour flushing their cheeks. Colourful bits and pieces lined the walls, laughter filling the air as students moved about, perusing the products on display. Harry grinned at it all, knowing the effects of more than a few of those products. Marci moved over and stared down at a cage full of tiny balls of fluff, all of them coloured different shades of pink and purple. Mere was cocking her head to the side, sniffing delicately at the air. Harry recognised the action and smiled inwardly.

"What the _hell_ are those?" Darren sneered down at the fluff balls, mentally dismissing them as nothing more than coloured dust bunnies. Until, of course, they moved about and squeaked.

Harry laughed at the look of shock on his friends face. "Honestly, Daz, do you really think a wizard would be interested in dust bunnies?"

"A witch, really," Said a bright voice from behind him.

"But I suppose you fit the bill well enough," Laughed its twin.

Spinning around the four were greeted with two nearly identical twins. Well, identical to his three companions, but Harry knew that one had more freckles than the other.

Mere was staring at the pair, her nose twitching as they explained to Darren the uses and characteristics of a well trained 'Pygmy Puff'. Harry poked her, before whispering in her ear, "What's wrong?"

She spared him a glance. "One of them is my mate," She said in soft French. "But I can't tell them apart and their scents are so…"

"Alike?" He replied in French. He shook his head and pointed the two out. "The one on the left is Fred, he has smaller and fewer freckles. The other is George."

Before Mere could reply the twins turned to Harry and grabbed an arm each, leading him out the back. "Harry, dear friend!"

"We heard you were visiting Hogwarts--."

"And we though we'd be able to send you a gift or two."

"Purely for pleasure, of course."

"But instead we get you, coming to our little shop!"

Harry blinked at them, before shaking his head. "If you'd told me that there was gonna be a shop here in Hogsmeade I would've stayed clear away!"

"Now, now. We can't have you running away." George grinned at him.

Fred pushed him into a chair. "After all, you own part of the company and you're our best guinea pig. Here, try this." He thrust a pink lolly in front of Harry, who promptly shrank back.

"No thanks."

Realising that Harry had no clear way of getting out of his situation, Marci cleared her throat. "May I ask what is the name of your business? It can't be Zonko's, because a wizard owns this store."

"True, true. We let old Zonko run this place, he was going under you see."

"We merely did him a favour!"

Fred gave a silently blinking Mere a smirk. "We, Gred and Forge, are the proud owners of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes!"

Mere froze, shock plain on her face. "Weasley!" She rounded on Harry, who shrunk down into his seat even more. In rapid fire French, which confused the twins and made Marci and Darren laugh, she growled out, "You didn't tell me they were related to that little Weasel! I can't have my mate be related to him!"

Harry sighed, answering her back in French, but at a much slower pace. "So, I left that out in their description. What was I supposed to do? Tell you their life story?"

Mere flushed pink, her fingers twitching as she contemplated cursing him. George, realising that their friend was about to get in even more trouble than he obviously already was, decided that intervention was in order.

"Harry, mate, could I speak to you? Privately, you know?"

Harry nodded emphatically, easing himself out of the chair and keeping a wary eye on his friend. "Sure. Fred, can you survive being here with this lot?"

The red head gave a smirk. "I survived Gryffindor, didn't I?"

"Good point. Have fun."

Mere glared at him, before yelling in French, "You sneaky little bastard! Don't you dare think this is over!"

Harry gave a small, nervous smile as he followed George out the back door. He was led past all the other shops until they came to a stop near a large, broken house. He looked up at it, his nose twitching with a hard to place, yet familiar scent.

"Recognise it, do you?"

"Yeah. But I've never been here…"

"That," George said, pointing at the building. "Is known as the Shrieking Shack. I believe that your godfather may know of it."

Harry stared up at the house. "_That_ is where Dumbledore forced Remus to go during the full moon?" He growled low in his throat. "But that is a horrible place! And far to near the public!"

"You do know about the Marauders, right?"

"Yeah. My _father_, Remus, Sirius and _Pettigrew_. They were pranksters."

George was surprised at the amount of hate the words 'father' and 'Pettigrew' carried. He knew that Harry didn't like his father, but what had little Peter Pettigrew done to deserve the same hate? "And our idols. They were the best of their time, and me and Fred are still trying to get to their level."

"They picked on Severus Snape and the Slytherin's far too much."

"Perhaps. But it was the beginning of the first war back then, and just like now, those of Slytherin House were labelled as pure Dark. Anyway, the Marauders all became Animagi, illegal of course, so that Remus, or Moony to us, didn't do anything dangerous."

Harry snorted. Oh, he knew all about the animagus forms of his father and his friends. He found it highly amusing that Pettigrew had been a rat. Fitting, of course. He sighed and leaned against the wooden fence before him. "Why did you really bring me out here?"

"Besides saving you from getting screamed at in French?"

Harry let a smile flit about his lips. "Yeah, besides that."

George hopped up onto the rail and drummed his fingers against his thigh. "Anything else happen lately?"

"Plenty. Do you know how many detentions can be given out in a week?"

The red head groaned. "What did you do?"

"Me? I only got one _personal_ detention with Dumbledore, which I refuse to go to. It was only because your idiot of a brother doesn't know when to stop. S'not my fault he ended up in the hospital wing."

"You hit him!" George laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. "I've been wanting to do that for ages! Go on, how many detentions?"

"Fourty seven." He grinned when George promptly fell backwards. "You right there?"

"Fourty seven! Forty-seven! How in the hell did you all manage that?"

Harry shrugged. "The rules are stupid. That and Gryffindor's don't know what's good for them."

George sighed as snow melted beneath him. "I suppose it would be too much to ask for you to try and fit in?"

"Oui. Dumbledore'll be even more suspicious if we try to fit in. We chucked too big of a fuss when he wanted us Sorted for it to work now. Besides, we still need a safe way to get the pack out. The full moon is only two weeks away."

"We'll get onto that." He grinned up into emerald eyes. "Has Tom chucked a fit over the way everyone keeps staring at you?"

"People do not stare at me!" He frowned. "And yes, he has. Several times. Wants to curse them and gouge their eyes out."

George gave in and laughed, the sound echoing off the trees. Harry smirked down at him before holding a hand down to help him up. With a mischievous smile, the redhead pulled him over the rail and into the snow. With a raucous laugh, he jumped up and ran back to the shop.

**(W)(W)(W)(W)(W)(W)(W)**

Harry sighed as he contemplated getting up. Rolling onto his knees, he started to push himself up when a searing pain lanced across his shoulders. He cried out and flinched away as a spell shimmered over and around him. A silencing spell. He swore and made to get up, only to have the pain come back again. It was soon joined by a knee in the middle of his back, forcing him to the ground with an 'oomph'.

"Not so high and mighty now, are we?"

He tensed, all his senses screaming danger. "_Weasley_."

There was a laugh from above him. "It amazes me that my brother and you get along so well, Evans." The voice moved and whispered by his ear, hot breath making his nose wrinkle. "And what's this about a pack? Are you a werewolf?"

Harry tensed and bucked, trying to remove the weight from his back. "You even think of touching them and I'll break more than your nose, you disgusting excuse for a wizard!"

A clammy hand wrapped around the back of his neck and, despite desperately telling himself no, he froze, submissive instincts overriding his need to protect his pack. "Would I be correct in saying you are the alpha? Don't know how I missed it."

"I do."

"What was that?"

"I do, you idiot! You have a brain the size of a pine nut!"

Ron growled. "You're going to regret ever insulting me, wolf." The knee pressed harder into his back and Harry bit back a pained cry. "I'm going to make you scream, and no one is going to hear you."

Harry desperately sent his senses scrambling, but there was no magic, even as he tugged at the silencing spell, he got absolutely nothing. All he got back was _something is wrong, everything is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. RUN!_ He began to struggle, letting his wolf self take over as the Hecatamus hid behind the growling animal. His own inner magic lashed out and slammed into several solid objects but the one above him didn't move which was _wrong!_

_Harry! Harry! Damnit what is going on!_

There was a voice in his head, but he couldn't latch on as a spell washed over him and burning fire sped through his veins. He cried out, unable to take it as the silver washed through his body. It wasn't enough to kill him, but it was enough to render him weak and unable to defend himself. He whined and the wolf retreated. But neither of his creature selves were in any shape to take charge and he was left defenceless, which was just the way Ron wanted him.

Minutes ticked by as the red head ranted about what he was going to do and how much he was going to make him pay, but all Harry could think was that the voice in his head was beginning to turn desperate.

_Harry! Damnit if you don't reply in one second I am going to come get you! _There was a pause._ Damnit! Harry! Harry!_ Another pause and Harry distinctly felt some sort of magical barrier shift a moment before holding firm._ What the fuck? Harry, please tell me you're in Hogwarts and safe?_

Another spell touched his skin and cold air blew across it. Harry tensed. His bloody clothes were gone! He wiggled and bucked and struggled but to no avail, the damn red head wouldn't move.

"I'm going to make you scream, Evans, and when this is over with, you'll be begging for more."

Harry's eyes widened and his magic struggled to get past the silver that formed a barrier, there was nowhere where it hadn't spread and he had no way to fight with magic. So he chose a more physical method. Forcing himself to relax, he let himself go completely limp, which, in turn, made Ron laugh.

"Accepted it, did you?"

"No." Harry lurched to the side, tipping Ron off and pushing himself up. Just as he was starting to stand, his legs gave out and fell forward again. "Fuck!"

"That's right, Evans, glad you're on the same page."

Ropes came from nowhere and bound his wrists together. Pain lanced up his arm and he stared, wide eyed, as he realised that the ropes were inlaid with silver strands. The weight returned to his back, but it wasn't a knee this time. He bucked again and a fist slammed several times into the back of his head. The edges of his vision went black and he moaned with the pain. And then another type of pain hit him.

Harry was well known at Durmstrang for having a male mate, which, in turn, meant that he had sex with a man. So what was happening to him wasn't so far out of the ordinary, but the point was that he didn't want it and it wasn't his mate!

Burning pain spread through his lower region and Harry gasped as it continued to grow. Ron pressed him into the ground, the snow melting against warm skin, but then the skin went cold, icy cold. Harry shivered internally as his magic turned on him for committing such an act with a person who was definitely not his mate.

But then the stabbing, burning pain was gone, and it was replaced with a heap of freezing cold snow. Harry yelped and made to move when ropes shot out of three wands and bound him to thick wooden pegs that they conjured up. He couldn't move and couldn't fight back.

"You fucking bastards!"

"Now, now, Evans," Ron stuck his head in his line of vision. "Is that any way to speak to us? No, it's not. You are going to call us all 'Master', since I'm sure you're used to calling you-know-who that, Death Eater."

Harry growled. "I doubt the Dark Lord would take too kindly to having one of his followers _raped_ by a Weasley!"

The silver was beginning to dilute in his system and he sent a blast of magic out that knocked Ron over.

"Hey!" A spell hit him and he cried out as silver once more coursed through his system. It was a higher dose this time, which left his muscles quivering and weak. "I'll teach you manners! Boys, shall we?"

A foot slammed into his ribs several times and they cracked under the pressure. A boot was brought down on his right arm, the hard sole causing the cold and weakened limb to give in and break. Harry bit back the cry of pain and swore to himself that he wouldn't give Ron and his cronies the satisfaction of his voice.

The stabbing pain returned with a vengeance, and Harry squeezed his eyes shut as pain and shame swept over him, followed by the icy chill that was quickly turning his lips blue. He felt weak, weaker than he had ever been and it was disconcerting. He was bound, poisoned with silver and unable to access his own magic. He couldn't even transform into a wolf because he had no strength for the change. All he wanted to do was curl up in a dark hole and die.

There was a moment where the pain vanished, but it was replaced again by snow. He knew what they were doing, forcing his muscles to tense and contract and therefore making the next entrance all the more painful. His insides felt like they were ripped and he knew he was bleeding, but he didn't have the initiative to care.

Ron grinned to himself as Harry lay completely still, totally and utterly submissive beneath him. It didn't matter to him that what he was doing could result in an Azkaban sentence. He was protected and untouchable. Why would the Auror's charge him when he had simply been giving back what the Death Eaters so easily dished out? No one wanted a dark creature running unchecked now, did they?

There was no more pain now. Everything was so numb that Harry wasn't even sure he was breathing anymore. His magic had exhausted itself in attacking him for what it saw as an indiscretion and was now struggling to reverse the process and heal him. He lay in the snow, shivering and staring at the white ground. He could see the trees nearby, and wished fervently that he could just jump up and run freely through them.

There was a darkness closing in on his vision and he dimly felt another blow to the back of his head. It was harder than a boot clad foot and he guessed that his attackers had some form of weapon. The trickle of blood over his neck should have been warm, but was as cold as his entire being felt. With a sigh of submission, he closed his eyes and gave in to the darkness that embraced him with open arms.

The last thing he heard was Ron telling him it wasn't over.

**A/N:** Wow. Okay, so I've never written a sexual assault scene and I don't exactly like the whole idea of it, since it's such a terrible ordeal for anyone to go through, but it was essential for my plot. Sorry if anyone was offended, it really wasn't intentional. But I hope that the chapter was good besides that.


	12. Padfoot's Dilemma

**A/N:** Firstly, I want to apologise to all those people who were disappointed in the last chapter (I'll be replying to all your reviews after this is posted). To be honest, I was hesitant to even post it, knowing that I would get the reactions that I received. I was a little sad, reading these on my break at work on Tuesday and seeing so many unhappy with what was written. I was also surprised to see that on another website a lot of people referred to my Harry as 'super' and believe that I was making him weak. I got a few reviews like that on here too. And that's the second thing I need to make clear: this is _not_ a Super!Harry fic. I never even intended for it to be viewed as such. I know that by having Ron get the better of Harry it makes him appear weak, but I need for Harry to _really_ want to get rid of Ron. Not to mention that it will be important later on, but that's a huge spoiler and I don't just want to say it. You can ask of course.

The scene will be staying as it is, unless someone finds some major grammatical mistake or something. I know it's selfish, but I've written too far ahead to go back and change this now. A few people mentioned that they don't want to read this unless I fix it, but _there is nothing to fix_! It was intended, and planned, not just some random thing I decided to write. I have a plan, a plot, which I follow fairly closely, unless someone gives me a good idea I can integrate with it. If you guys choose not to read anymore, okay then. I'm honoured to have kept you reading to this point, and I'm sad to see you go. As for consistency, trust me, this plays a _HUGE_ part in the future chapters, none of which would make sense without this.

A part of why Harry couldn't fight back, one that had nothing to do with Ron, is explained in here as well.

As for the way it was written, I had two reasons for that. One was to keep it vague in order to hopefully keep it in Harry's viewpoint, as this was the way his silver addled, magic refused mind would have comprehended the situation. Harry is not weak; he was caught off guard and left defenceless by several separate spells. I'm not sure if anyone actually picked up on it, but Harry couldn't get to any outside magic, not even the spell he thought was a Silencing spell, and his own magic couldn't find a way past the silver in his body. The second spell was used to magic the silver into his system, rendering any physical reflexes/training/defences fairly useless. And Ron is not smart, nor powerful. He is an idiot who happens to have lucked into this (which is actually explained a little around the middle of this chapter). Nothing more, nothing less.

I've also realised that I haven't really given any sort of back story on Hecatamae, or even Harry's hybrid status, so I'm currently writing a companion piece that hopefully helps anyone left reading to understand everything. Some things are explained in latter chapters but if you need to know, it should be up soon.

Again, I am sorry to disappoint so many. I love you guys, and value your support, as well as your opinions.

Sorry for the long A/N, I hope this chapter is okay…

**Chapter twelve-- Padfoot's Dilemma**

A large, Grim like black dog lowered its head and sniffed at the prone form partially covered in fresh snow. It had picked up the coppery scent of blood and had come to investigate the source. The fact that the boy smelled of death, blood, fear and sex was disconcerting to say the least. Not to mention that the air was practically saturated with a strange sort of magic, completely different to anything he had ever felt. But he could smell, underneath all that, something ancient, something familiar and something distinctly wolf-like. It was obvious that Hogsmeade, or perhaps Hogwarts, was home again to a young werewolf. And the boy was lying in the snow outside of the Shrieking Shack, which he knew had been used for werewolf transformations for a total of seven years during his own school life.

There was a swirl of magic and the low crunching of bones before the dog vanished and a shaggy haired man remained crouched beside the unnamed boy. Sirius Black was proud of his Auror instincts and they were screaming at him right now. It was obvious that something terrible had befallen the boy; his body was frozen still and his pulse was slow and sluggish, not to mention that his breaths were hardly even there. The mix of scents led him only to one conclusion: this boy had been raped and was inches from death.

A wave of a wand had the snow vanishing from the boy and Sirius clearly saw the blood that had saturated the old snow coming from a head wound and from the boy's backside. He winced and pulled his winter cloak off, wrapping the unconscious boy in it and saving what little dignity he may have had left. The teen did have a black cloak on himself, but it was thin and was definitely not suited to the cold air winter brought with it. Not that being left shirt and pantless in the snow had helped anything.

Sirius looked down at the teen's face, which looked surprisingly peaceful. He was slightly confused when he saw little bits of his…friend, James Potter, in the boy's features. He couldn't be little Harry now, could he? No, the boy was off somewhere else and had clearly displayed a hatred for James, he would never willingly come anywhere near the wizard. But there was also a hardness that the stillness of whatever form of sleep he was in could not soften. It clearly spoke of the boy's life, and Sirius wondered that if this was Harry, what horrors had befallen Lily in the past nine years?

The trek up to Hogwarts was cold and slightly difficult, what with the still form in his arms. He wouldn't sling the boy over his shoulder; he refused to add to the shame and indignity he had suffered. But what surprised and confused him was the fact that the body would not warm and the cold seemed to roll off him in waves. By the time he reached the Entrance Hall doors, Sirius was half-frozen himself.

Foregoing the customary knock-and-wait that Dumbledore seemed to delight in, he merely pushed open one door and strode in. Warm air surrounded him and he silently thanked the individual who had thought of warming charms. A misty fog rose from the boy's body in small tendrils of silver. There was a high-pitched shrieking and a flying silver form barrelled into him and latched onto the bundled up form in his arms.

A small, silver faerie dragon hissed and cooed and finally gave into an agitated squeaking noise. When Sirius shifted slightly, harsh onyx eyes looked up at him accusingly and the small creature gave an angry hiss.

"I didn't do anything. I found him. I'm going to take him to Madame Pomfrey, you see?"

It appeared to believe in his innocence and he started to wonder if maybe this creature was the teen's familiar. But when he mentioned Pomfrey it gave an indignant squawk and the world flashed bright white. When the light died down he found himself in a dorm room containing six beds. The room was decorated in a mix of black and various shades of yellow. A girl sat on a bed and was contentedly reading a book and stroking the feathers of a black and red phoenix. The little dragon gave an agitated hiss from atop the bundled form of the boy and pale gold eyes snapped up.

The girl gave a pained cry and momentarily pressed a palm to her head, her facial features screwed up with pain. But then she shook her head and cautiously made her way over to him. Sirius knew he should have been focusing on the unconscious teen in his arms, but he found himself entranced by the quiet beauty of the girl before him. Soft brown tresses flowed over her shoulders and down her back, pale gold eyes that held fathomless caring and love and softly tanned skin. She too, wore the thin black cloak that the teen wore with the same gold writing around the hood.

"Harry! Oh my god…" Her eyes snapped to his and narrowed menacingly. "Who are you, how did you get in here and _what the hell did you do to him_!"

Sirius couldn't answer, he could barely breath. His dark eyes were locked on the pale face of the teen in his arms, the teen he now knew to be named Harry. His heart told him it was the son of James, but he hoped, fervently prayed, that it wasn't.

The silver dragon hissed and its tail curled around the edge of the winter cloak. Claws dug in and it quickly unwrapped the cloak, enough to let Harry's own scent drift out. The girl's eyes widened and he face went pale as she gasped, "Oh good god, no."

"I…I didn't do anything. I found him, just laying there…please miss, tell me he isn't Harry Potter?"

The girl glared at him a moment, before her pale eyes softened. She took him over to a bed and directed him to lay Harry down on it. She turned to a draw and pulled out vial after vial of potions, some of which he didn't recognise. Several minutes ticked by before she said softly, "He isn't Harry Potter."

"Oh thank Merlin."

Her eyes drifted back up to his and they held so much pain that he looked away. "His name is Harry Evans."

Sirius gasped, pain bloomed in his chest and he stumbled back, sitting heavily on the floor. "No. No! It can't…he isn't…Lily?"

She turned her back on him as she began to work over Harry's still body. "Lily Lupin nee Evans is his mother."

"Lupin?"

"Remus Lupin, our Headmaster and Defence teacher."

"Moony…Moony is here."

The girl remained silent and minutes passed in silence before she laid a hand on his cheek and drew it back with a quick hiss. "Bastards!"

Sirius jumped up and was by her side in half a heartbeat. "What? What's wrong? What's happened?"

She looked down at Harry and closed her eyes. "Silver. It's been spelled into his veins. Without his magic…Harry can't fight that off." She opened her eyes and looked up at him with a desperate look. "And I can't heal him."

He blinked at her. "You're a werewolf too?"

She shook her head. "Werefox."

"Silver affects all Were…I can do it."

A doubtful look was sent his way. "You are not a trained Healer."

"Than Pomfrey can."

"No! I will not send him to that woman. This requires the work of a _Healer_, not a medi-witch. All they do is wave wands, do silly incantations and shove potions down throats." She sighed. "I'll direct you, but you have to listen and do everything I tell you! I will not have some pig-headed Auror ruin the only chance Harry has."

"Hey!" He shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not pig-headed…anymore."

A roll of pale gold eyes was his only answer. "Now, place one hand on his forehead and one over the centre of his chest, palm down. Now, exert a slight amount of pressure and imagine your magic flowing out of your palms and gradually remove the traces of silver. It should look like black-rimmed silver balls floating about his magical core. You're going to need to close your eyes."

Sirius followed her instructions with dogged determination. If she said to do it, he did it without question. The girl hovered by his side, randomly waving her wand and muttering, or moving her hands down Harry's body, palms a mere inch from his skin. Gradually, slowly, Sirius pushed all the little balls away from the grey core, a core that seemed to be surrounded by a thin layer of icy frost.

"Miss?"

"Yes?"

"I've never really looked at another persons core, so I could be wrong…"

"Just get on with it!" She snapped and her eyes flared in anger.

"Well…is it supposed to look frozen?"

Her eyes widened in fear. "Is all the silver gone?"

"As far as I can tell…"

"Move!" She roughly pushed him away and took his position on the bed by Harry's side. Her hands landed in the same place his had been, and her eyes closed.

Sirius rubbed his palms together and breathed hot air onto them. They felt as if he'd stuck them into a bucket of icy water. He chewed his lip as the girl frowned and shifted. His eyes watched as Harry glowed a faint silver-blue colour and the girl sat back, panting from obvious magical exhaustion. Pale eyes met his.

"I can't explain this…it shouldn't have happened, unless…no, he wouldn't…would he?"

"What are you talking about?"

She sighed as she stood. "I'm sorry, but I can't talk to you about."

"What? No! Harry is my friends _son_, I will not allow you to keep me in the dark!"

"That's why I can't tell you! If you are friends with James Potter, than telling you could put Harry in more danger." Her eyes flashed and turned slightly feral. "I can't allow that. I _won't_ allow that!"

Shouts met their ears. It seemed there was a commotion in the common room of…Hufflepuff House. Sirius inwardly groaned. He was in the domain of 'puffs!

"Marci! Marci!" Foot falls sounded on the stairs.

"We can't find Harry anywhere. We checked Hogsmeade and the whole fucking castle and we can't think of…anywhere…else."

Two students stood at the door, staring at Sirius and the werefox he now knew was Marci. Gold and amber eyes glowed and faint growls sounded as the girl started forward. She was quick, quicker than he had thought she would be. Her hand wrapped around his throat and she slammed him into the bedpost.

"Sirius Black!"

He gulped. The male sighed and roughly dragged the girl away. "Come on, Mere, what would Harry say if he saw you?"

Mere gave the wizard a pointed glare before her amber eyes fell on the still form of Harry. "Mon Dieu."

She moved slowly, as if she didn't want to believe it, didn't want to allow herself to see it. She stood next to the bed and stared down at Harry, silent. The gold-eyed boy gave a startled cry and rushed over, immediately grabbing a hand. He recoiled and dropped the hand, eyes wide and turned on Marci.

The smaller werefox gave a sigh and looked pointedly at Sirius. Mere frowned and took her wand out and pointed it at him.

"Whoa!" He put his hands up, refusing to fight it out against the younger generation. "I'm not doing anything."

Mere sighed and shook her head. "Idiot. I'm just going to make sure that old Dumbles and his merry band of cockheads can't get anything out of you." He was so stunned by her words that he didn't react as a soft purple spell hit him square in the head. He blinked stupidly back at her. "Wasn't hard now, was it?"

"What the hell did you do?"

"Merde, how stupid are you people?"

"Mere." The gold-eyed teen growled low in warning.

"What, Darren? You're worried about me insulting some stupid English wizard when Harry is ice cold and laying there comatose?!"

Marci rolled her eyes. "Sirius, Mere used a spell to make sure that any memories tied to this conversation are protected from outside influences. Until you leave this room the spell is in play. It will protect us, and you."

"Okay. I think."

Darren shook his head before looking back down at Harry. "What's wrong with him, Marci?"

Marci bit her lip. "I…well, I don't know if Harry would want us all to know, you know how he is…"

"Marci, please?" Mere pleaded with the little witch who sighed.

"It looks like he was…well, _raped_."

Sirius rocked back as if he'd been hit, while the other two started swearing loudly and colourfully. Harry had been raped? By who? Who would be so sick as to want to do that little Harry? And the silver…

"Harry wouldn't have just gone down without a fight, would he?"

Mere glared at him. "Of course not! He isn't our alpha for nothing!"

"Mere!" Darren gave her a pointed look, which she rolled her eyes at.

"He can't share this! We don't have to lie, Darren!"

The two continued to glare at one another before Marci cleared her throat. "If you guys don't mind? That wasn't all. Harry was full of silver. It was spelled into him somehow." She looked at Sirius. "That's why Harry was unable to fight back, though if I hazard a guess, he would have marked his attackers somehow." She ran a hand over her face and sighed. "He also had a couple of broken ribs, the same as before, a rather _nasty_ gash to the back of his head, and his right arm was broken in several places."

"Marci?"

She bit her lip and looked at the other two nervously. "Yeah?"

"What else?"

She swallowed and looked back at Harry. "His core is almost completely frozen. His magic was probably attacking him before it realised what was going on."

Sirius blinked. "Attacking him? I don't understand."

Mere sighed and sat down on the bed beside Harry. She was careful not to touch him though. "Harry's magic has a life of its own. We think it's because of his hybrid status. When he's in danger, his magic will lash out and attack if he ever becomes unable to do so himself."

"Unfortunately," Darren said with a slight sneer. "There are some really old spells that can render that defence mechanism useless. It was used on the Hecatamae a long time ago. You have to catch them off guard and cause a small gap to appear in their shields, which are pure magic."

"Harry is incredibly alert, and he's always tense. It would be hard to catch him off guard."

"But," Sirius was beginning to feel his anger building up inside of him. "Who the hell would want to hurt Harry?"

"Weasley." The three teens chorused at the exact same time, before shrugging simultaneously.

"Weasley? Which Weasley?"

"Not the twins. We met them today…Harry always said they were a little odd. He forgot to mention the whole talking together thing." Mere blinked.

Darren shook his head. "Ron Weasley. He's been constantly at Harry since we got here. First day here he broke several of Harry's ribs. Hasn't stopped threatening him since."

Sirius frowned. "I can bring him in and charge him for assault. I judge that Dumbledore isn't doing anything?"

"That old coot? Why would he want to help us?" Marci bit out, bitterness filling her voice.

"Okay, then." He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Is Harry going to be okay here?"

"You think we can't protect him? Our pack is here, and if we want, Harry's familial pack could be here. He'd be safer if Dumbledore and Weasley happened to just drop dead, but that's asking a fair bit of Fate."

Sirius snorted. A thought occurred to him and he frowned. "How can I get Ron Weasley charged if I can't talk about this?"

Mere had the decency to blush, though she didn't stop from staring at him in that odd way all three had. "Sorry, but we can't have Dumbles figure anything out just yet. You can talk to Remus and Lily, them we trust."

"Infinitely so." Darren gave a strained smirk, but it dropped almost instantly.

"Lily will be crushed." Marci's eyes widened. "And Remus…Remus will go nuts!" She turned to Darren. "Go with Sirius to see them, or we're going to have one angry beta."

Darren nodded and led Sirius from the room. He threw one last pained glance at his friend before resolutely leaving. As they passed through the common room, Sirius was given odd looks by the students there. Most likely they were trying to figure out where he had come from since they hadn't seen him enter at all. As they walked down the corridors, Sirius ventured out and asked the werewolf what had been bothering him for years.

"Do you know why Lily and Harry left James nine years ago?"

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Dumbledore hummed as he leaned back in his chair, gnarled fingers tapping against the clear orb before him. The orb was innocent enough, but any learned individual would know its purpose. Fortunately, Ron Weasley was not a learned individual. In fact, he was a rather stupid boy who was useful, and had been for many years.

Blue eyes twinkled as he watched the wisps of magic swirl sluggishly. Only a few hours earlier they had been lively, coloured in blues, greens, reds, golds, silvers and blacks. And now they were a dead combination of greys. The orb had been linked to both Harry Evans and Ron Weasley, and right now he was watching as Harry sank further towards Death.

No one had listened when the boy was younger; no one listened when he told them he was dangerous. Oh, he was no fool. It was not the werewolf blood that made Harry deadly; rather it was his Hecatamus half. The boy had been born a full-blooded Hecatamae, which meant that the deities of Fate and Balance had had a hand in his conception. Lily and James were not powerful enough to have conceived him on their own. He had watched as Harry grew, had watched as the shields surrounding his Core gained hairline cracks, enough to shorten his temper and patience, enough to warrant an immediate decision for Death from the Wizengamot. But for some reason the Guild Council had intervened, blocking them from destroying the most dangerous individual since Voldemort's defeat.

And yet, when he had sat in this very office, Harry's Core was solid. Or, well, that was what he was able to tell before something had tugged and drawn the magic he had used into the teen's body, making his eyes flare brightly a brief moment. So, Dumbledore had taken it upon himself to complete the Wizengamot's decision.

All he'd had to do was leave a few choice parchments lying around, containing information he knew that Harry would likely do anything to destroy, for they held spells that could render any defence he had useless. One to get through the almost impenetrable shield every single one of his kind instinctively had, which had been used so that a spell used against werewolves could be implemented, magicking a vast amount of silver directly into his system. Another one to keep any outside magic from coming to their aid, because Hecatamae had a nasty habit of using natural resources to their advantage. And finally one to keep any companions defended by their own inner magic from noticing what was going on. It was ingenious really.

Waving his hand, he powered down the orb, before standing and leaving his office. He never looked back, and never saw the small flicker of blue magic as the orb dimmed down.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVPHLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Sirius bit his lip as he waited for Darren's answer. The auestion had bothered him all these years.

Darren frowned. "He only ever mentioned that James would say his magic was 'dirty'. From what Mere has been able to gather from living with them, it seems he also attacked Harry a few times. Nothing serious…" He frowned. "Nothing_ major_, I suppose. You have a stupid name by the way."

"Dog star."

"Mhmm."

"You said that Mere lives with them. What do you mean?"

"Mere was accidentally turned by her cousin when we were twelve. Her family disowned her, but allowed her to keep their name. The Swiner's are a very proud pureblood family, with a lot of standing in France. I suppose they didn't want their bloodline tainted by Were blood." He waved his hand in the air. "Anyway, Harry decided that Mere should live with them. Ah, I remember that day. He just stood up! And told Lily that Mere was now officially his roommate, in and outside of school. I do believe she lectured him for an hour on actually consulting her when making decisions like that. Of course, she was already inviting Remus to move in."

Sirius blinked. "When…when did Lily and Remus start dating?"

Darren bit his lower lip, his brow creased as he tried to remember. "I dunno really. They already were when Karkaroff hired them for the Charms and Defence positions." He shrugged. "You'd have to ask one of them."

Sirius nodded, biting his lower lip. His mind was a confused mess, and he wasn't sure how he was meant to sort it all out. On the one hand, there was his loyalty to James and to the Light, even though he had always considered himself more neutral than anything. And on the other hand was the fact that little Harry had been harmed, _raped_, by a boy who had slept in his home, a boy he had been teaching during the summer months.

When the youngest of the Weasley boys had been introduced to him, he had been wary. The family was notoriously poor, barely scrapped by in fact, but Arthur was a friendly bloke, if only a tad obsessed with muggles and all their devices. The kids had always tried hard to get ahead, striving to do better than their peers. Bill was a successful curse breaker for Gringott's Banks around the world, Charlie made a comfortable living working with Dragons in Romania, Percy was one of several Undersecretary's for the Minister for Magic, Fred and George had started up their very own business selling prank and joke products, as well as a few items destined for use on the battle field. And while Ginny was incredibly talented at high-powered spells, Ron had taken to following Daniel around, doing whatever he did.

The boy wanted fame, and he got it by being the best friend of the Boy Who Lived. Sirius shook his head and straightened his shoulders. It didn't matter. Personal feelings aside, he had to be brought to justice for what he had done to Harry.

Darren paused outside an elegant statue of a wolf curled around a small spotted cat. The cat 'mewed' at them, and he couldn't help the grin. "This is Remus' office statue from Durmstrang." He took a deep breath and spoke the password, "Totalitarian."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, and the werewolf shook his head. The wolf and cat bowed their heads and a doorway appeared to their left. Stepping inside, they followed the narrow hallway into a warmly lit room with a relaxed, cheery atmosphere. Sirius really didn't want to be here when the news was revealed.

Remus looked up and smiled at Darren before his amber eyes hardened upon seeing his old friend. "Sirius."

Lily gave a gasp from another room, and something clattered to the floor. "Remus! Remus!"

The man was up immediately and caught the red head as she flew into the room. "Lily…calm down…what's wrong?"

She sobbed and clutched at him. "The pendant. Remus, the pendant!"

He pulled back and lifted a hand to the thin gold chain about her neck. It was an onyx wolf pendant; animated from within the gold circle of metal it was connected to. The wolf was currently sprawled, unmoving, along the bottom edge. He turned and his eyes flashed in anger. "Darren."

Darren swallowed and stepped in front of Sirius. The man may have been a friend to the older werewolf, and a good Auror, but he was going to be no match if things got out of control. "It's Harry--."

"I know that!" Remus snapped and took a step forward. "Tell me what happened to him!"

"Well, you see, he was attacked, in Hogsmeade."

Lily trembled. "Darren, please…what happened to my baby?"

The gold eyes suddenly dimmed and turned a deep brown, filled with sorrow and anger. "Ron Weasley. He attacked Harry. He…he _raped_ Harry."

The room was suddenly too small in Sirius' opinion. Remus' eyes glowed and turned slightly feral, he growled and started towards the door. A swirl of magic and a large, black, Grim like dog stood before him. Sirius knew just how dangerous Moony was, and Remus was allowing the wolf in him to rein, rather than his more sensible wizard self.

"Move, Sirius."

The only answer was a growling bark. Lily laid a hand on Remus' arm and pulled him back slightly. "Remus…please, this won't help Harry." She gave a sob, followed by a hiccup. "Oh god, my baby."

Abruptly, Remus spun and enclosed Lily in a strong hug, burying his face in her neck. Sirius shifted back, head bowed and eyes closed against the angry tears. Darren was the only one who heard the sharp knock that echoed down the hallway. Frowning, he moved to the door and paused. The door was hidden, and only the teachers and Durmstrang students knew where it was. He waved his hand over a small notch in the wall and the door shimmered.

On the other side, rocking on the balls of his feets and dressed in a horrible purple and orange robe, was Albus Dumbledore.


	13. Hecatamae Whisperings

**A/N: Just so everyone knows, everything is planned and all will be explained.**

**But ask questions if you want.**

**Chapter Thirteen-- Hecatamae Whisperings**

Harry felt like he was floating, and that in itself was worrying, if it wasn't for the fact that he was freezing cold and surrounded by mist. He sighed and tried again to wave his arms around, trying to get feeling into frozen limbs. It didn't surprise him when he found that they only moved and inch or so; not much had changed since the last time he'd attempted to do so. He wondered if he was still in the snow, left by his attackers to freeze to death. Anger warmed him briefly, before his mind caught on and questioned whether this was death, or limbo perhaps.

"Death? Oh my, what is it that they teach our young ones now a days?"

He jerked, ever so slightly, and attempted to turn his head and find the voice. "Who's there?"

The air around him sighed, and the mists parted. A woman floated there, her large blood red eagle wings moving lazily. He eyes were a bright sapphire blue, and her honey brown hair tumbled down around her face. "Hello, little one. Welcome."

He blinked at her, since it was the only movement that didn't tire him more. "Excuse me? Welcome? To what? If I'm dead, then leave me in peace. If I'm not, then give me my blade and I'll kill myself."

She shook her head. "Can't let you do that. Your mate would go on a rampage, and then where would Balance be?"

"Stuff Balance. If I ever get back there, I'll kill Ron Weasley, no matter whether he is required to keep the blasted Balance!"

She cocked her head to the side. "I never thought one of us could ever be an Assassin, we don't usually have the heart for death. But you smell like it, and we've seen your life. James Potter was a cruel man, and he poisoned young Daniel against you. He isn't what you see."

"Oh, bull shit. He's an arrogant, spoilt little rich kid riding on Fame's bosom!"

"He is frightened. He lost his brother, his guiding light, at too young an age. Fate never wanted that, you see. So when your father rejected you, and kept your twin away, Fate stepped in and changed its course. You and Lily leaving was the only option."

"My brother hates me," He mumbled. "Probably having a good ol' laugh with Weasley about my misfortune. Look, if I'm dead, can I just go?"

"You're not dead. It would take more than rape to kill one of our kind. Though, you did a good job at attempting it yourself."

"What are you on about?"

"You foolishly allowed your magic to attack you, weakening you when you could have been the first to ever fight those spells." She sighed and glided forward a little. "You are a Hecatamus, and I am a Hecatama. We are Hecatamae and this," She swept her hand through the air. "Is where we send you back to the living. But first!"

He frowned. "What?"

"You need to know some things." She crossed her legs and folded her wings, and floated there in mid-air beside him. "One, is that you need to talk to your brother dear, and get to know him; he only stays away because of the misguided belief that you are a Death Eater and a follower of the Dark Lord."

"I don't follow Tom, I stand by his side."

"It is the same to the Light. The fact that you stand so solidly on the border of both is a testament to your strength, and we are honoured by such a thing. You see, Hecatamae do not relish the idea of sides in war; it was our downfall in the end. The Light see us as dirty little creatures, our uncanny control of magic herself is frightening for them. But the Dark see us as a power source to be controlled and drained. You were lucky that Fate decided to allow the acceptance of the wolf's blood. Even though it was quite accidental, it still helped to even out what Balance was attempting to achieve, just a little more."

She was silent a moment, blue eyes regarding him while he waited patiently. "Two, is that you can request for a contract to be taken out on one Ronald Bilius Weasley. He is of no importance to the Balance, and of very little use to Fate. I suppose Daniel may be hurt by his death, but it will be more of a godsend to him. Ronald always wanted the fame of your brother, and not particularly his friendship. If he is not taken out, Dumbledore could well use him to end Daniel's own life in the final battle."

Harry's emerald eyes flashed gold and he growled softly. Despite his strong dislike of his younger brother, he wouldn't stand quietly by as some fame seeking idiot stole his life. "I won't allow that!"

"Which is good." She reached out and let her fingers trail over his cheek in a loving caress. "You are the last, dear Harry. No more of us can be born after you, not with the pure blood you were gifted with at birth. But, if you live and even the Balance correctly, than Fate has willed that any child adopted by you and your mate will have some Hecatamae blood. It is the only way we can exist in the future. You were to be the last full blood, but you were not destined for that."

He frowned. "Does Fate dictate my entire life?"

"No. She does only what she can to achieve the end outcome. What happens in between is of your own making."

"How nice to know."

She smiled at him. "I don't think I have ever had the fortune to send back a Hecatamus with any hint of sarcasm. A curious ability indeed."

Harry stared at her. She was weird, but at the same time her presence was comforting to him. "Am I really the only one left?"

Her eyes darkened, and her voice was suddenly laden with sorrow. "Yes. We are terribly sorry, Harry. It is awful to grow up in a world where you are viewed as nothing more than a creature, an animal, but to also be alone… I can not even begin to understand what it most have truly been like."

"I survived."

"And it made you into what you are. We are proud of you Harry. Now," She uncrossed and her legs and seemed to stand up in mid air as her wings unfolded and started to flap lazily once more. "It is time for you to go back. Remember, speak to Daniel, and try not to take too much pleasure in the death of Ronald."

The last thing Harry saw, as the mists faded and the world went black, was hundreds of Hecatamae, all of them giving him small smiles. For the first time, Harry truly felt as if what he was, was right in some way.

He could survive this. Like everything else that had been thrown his way, he would find a way over this new…hurdle.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Marci sighed as Mere checked Harry's breathing for what felt like the tenth time, and then resumed her pacing beside him. She slumped a little more in the comfy seat she'd conjured for herself on the opposite side of the bed. No matter what she did, Harry remained cold and unresponsive. She was worried about the effect this would have on both his own psyche and his mate. Tom had never really taken any injury to Harry lightly, and the only reason any involved ever lived was because Harry himself had been adamant they never be harmed. She was sure it wouldn't work this time.

With a slight frown, she leaned forward and placed her hand on Harry's forehead. His skin was beginning to warm up, a sure sign that his core was beginning to thaw. But she needed to be sure. Closing her eyes, she reached out with her magic and allowed herself to sink into Harry's magic.

Doing this had always amazed her. It was only possible with Demons, Angels and Mages, perhaps a few witches or wizards. To do so with an Assassin or Spy, even one who had links to any other Guild, was virtually impossible. They guarded their minds and secrets with a dogged determination, but when it came to their cores, they were feral in their defence. Harry had made sure to allow her a unique pathway past his defences, which gave her unprecedented access to his magic and showed his unwavering faith in her loyalty to him.

As she immersed herself, the darkness behind her lids shifted and vanished, forming a beautiful world of bright green fields, lush forests and clear, bubbling streams. The roar of a dragon had her smiling and watching as a larger version of Phanta soared through the air. Looking around, she spied Harry sitting on a rock beside a stream, his bare feet drifting in the cool water.

"Harry?"

Emerald eyes looked up at her, a warm smile gracing his lips. "Hello, Marci. I was wondering when you'd get here."

She walked over and settled down on the soft grass beside him. Leaning her head against his thigh, she sighed when deft fingers began to card through her hair. "We were so worried. Your core was frozen Harry."

"I know. A mistake on my part, I'm afraid."

"I thought it was your magic." She frowned. "I was certain it was."

"And you were right. But my magic reacted to the way I was reacting."

She bit her lip and watched the trees sway in a gentle breeze. "You're not going to talk about this, are you?"

His hand stiffened and his entire being became tense. "No."

"Not here, and not out there?"

"No, Marci."

She sighed. It would be difficult to get him to cooperate in this place, since it was of his own creation and he could expel her at any time. He'd done that once, and it had been painful enough that she had sworn to never aggravate him here. "Are you coming back? Everyone is so worried."

He closed his eyes, and swallowed. "I suppose. Can you give me a little longer?"

She stood up and smiled brightly down at him. "Of course, Harry." She reached out and smoothed a few stray locks back and gave him a chaste kiss on his forehead. "Don't take too long though. Mere is likely to bite my head off if you take any longer."

He laughed softly. "I wouldn't put that past her."

Marci smiled sadly as the beautiful world that Harry's magic had constructed for him faded from view and was replaced with darkness. Opening her eyes, she took in Harry's still form with a critical eye. His cheeks were slightly flushed and his body was no longer as tense as it had been. Using one finger, she lifted his lid and checked his eyes. The pupils dilated as the light hit them. Taking her wand out she muttered a few spells and was satisfied when his body glowed a healthy pearly white.

Mere bit her lip as she watched Marci check on Harry. She was trembling slightly, both were rage and with fear. Harry had made it fairly clear that he was more secretive than others their age. He had always told her everything, trusting her to keep his secrets safe. But she was frightened that he would hold this incident close to his core and keep it hidden from her, locking her out of something that could very well destroy him. She would get him to talk. She…_had_ to.

Harry groaned and his eyelids flickered. A simple wave of a wand had the lights in the room dimming and he felt a brief flash of gratitude for whoever had done that. He knew that there wasn't a large group of people in the room, because Marci could never have reached him if there was. But he could smell Mere, could smell her worry and the rage that simmered beneath that. It touched him and made his wolf self growl in frustration. He needed to exact revenge. But he had to bide his time, make sure the Council would not stop him; make sure that the bastards thought themselves safe. And he had to know who found those damn spells. Ron Weasley was not intelligent enough to find it all on his own. Nor was he strong enough to have ever hoped to beat him. So exactly what spells had been used?

The bed dipped next to him, and a warm hand picked up his own, still cold from the freezing of his core. "Harry?"

He let his eyes open and managed a small smile at the pair before him. Marci's pale eyes raked over him, her magic reaching out and smoothing any lingering pain he may have been feeling. He had never been more grateful for the young Healer. Mere's amber eyes were dark and swirling almost hypnotically.

Mere swallowed as his eyes rested on her. They were darker, far darker than she had ever seen them before, and the pain in them was astounding. "Harry? Please, please ta--."

"No."

His voice had been soft, but it boomed in her ears. Even Marci frowned, and she had already been aware of his decision. "Harry, please. You have to. It's the only way to work past this and get on with our lives."

He growled. "Get on with my life? No," He shook his head and closed his eyes. "Not until he's dead."

Mere frowned. "You can't just go around killing people, Harry, no matter the small fact of your Guild."

Harry sent her a scathing glance before he pushed himself into a seating position, allowing Marci to help ease him against the headboard of her bed. "I have permission to seek a contract."

"What? How?"

"Never mind the how," He waved a hand tiredly. "What I want to know is who found me? All I can smell is…dog."

The two girls blinked at him. Neither had any clue what he was talking about. Mere closed her eyes and gave a tentative sniff, before letting out a small yelp and jumping slightly. "Dog! Dog?" She turned to Marci. "Dog?"

The Healer snorted and shook her head. "Yes, Mere, I do believe he said dog, and yes, I believe that the scent is of a dog."

The wereleopard growled. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and settled for a steady glare. "So, where's the dog, and how did it get Harry here without anyone seeing?"

Phanta hissed from her perch on the bed closest to the door. Her wings unfolded and she leaped over to Harry. Cooing, the silver dragon curled up on the lap of her Master. "**Stupid, Were. Not the smell of a dog. Can she not tell the difference between a dog and a Grim? Or even an Animagus?**"

Harry smiled softly, his fingers stroking down the dragon's neck, which arched in pleasure. "Phanta seems to think it was a Grim Animagus."

"Grim Animagus? Isn't that one of the most powerful Animagi forms?" Marci frowned in thought. "The only person, besides us and Darren, to enter this room was a man called Sirius Black."

Harry stiffened and Phanta gave an angry hiss. "Sirius Black? Sirius bloody Black!"

"Harry?"

Mere's eyes widened and she grabbed hold of the bedpost to keep from falling. "Wait? Isn't he an Auror? Oh my god. There was a fucking Auror in here? Marci are you insane?!"

The Healer huffed. "He wasn't going to hurt us, I can assure you of that."

"And how would you know that?" Amber eyes narrowed.

"Because he was worried about Harry. He looked so afraid, and he was in so much pain when he found out who you were, Harry." Her pale eyes pleaded with Harry. "Please, I don't know what he has done to you, because for all I know you could have destroyed some part of his life, or he yours. But Harry…I think he actually cares about what happened to you."

Harry blinked. His emerald eyes closed and Phanta crawled up his chest to wind around his neck and rest on his shoulders. His eyes opened and he sighed. "I suppose. I mean, he was never mean to me or anything. He understood, in a way. Where is he now?"

Mere kept her eyes on Harry, searching his face for any sign of anger or fear. "He went with Darren to tell Lily and Remus."

"_What_?"

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Darren continued to stare at Dumbledore. Never mind the fact that his sense of fashion made every single Durmstrang student question his sanity, the man was quite happily humming and muttering every now and then. With a frown, Darren pressed a silver button hidden in the door and the sound from outside reached his ears.

"…Oh, joy, oh yes, this is a grand day! Happily bumbling, flying, gliding, we have succeeded this day!"

Darren blinked. It sounded suspiciously similar to a song Harry had sung for an entire month once. As well as all of the seventh year familiars. He frowned. If he remembered correctly, it had been Phanta who had started it all off, claiming that it was a song sung by Faerie Dragons when they had successfully pranked someone greater than them. He cocked his head to the side and whistled. The shrill sound echoed about Hogwarts, causing everyone to stop what they were doing. Even Dumbledore paused momentarily in his humming.

A swirl of magic and sleek black cat appeared beside him. It's glowing red eyes and the large bat like wings folded against its side, as well as the flames that licked along its fur and the solitary one on the tip of its tail, proclaimed it to be a Hell Cat. These felines were well known for their protective nature, as well as the fact that they preferred to maim first and think later. The cat mewed and swished its tail, butting its head against his hand and purring as he scratched it behind the ear. The flames were warm as they moved past his fingers.

Smiling, Darren kneeled and looked into the blood red eyes. "Merynes, I need you to do me a favour." He looked back at where Dumbledore stood. "See that man there?" The cat growled, flattening its ears against its head. "I'm going to have to let him in here, and I know that he will try something to antagonize the occupants of these quarters. I don't want Lily and Remus to go through any more pain."

Merynes mewed again. "_I would not dream of allowing harm to befall them._" Its voice was ethereal in the way it slid against his senses.

Smiling, he scratched his familiar under the chin. "I know. But there is another man, a Sirius Black. Protect him as well."

"_As you command, I shall do, Master._"

Darren stood and watched as the cat melded back with the shadows, glowing eyes watching the door intently. He turned to see Remus standing a little ways behind him, his amber eyes sparking and glowing with anger. "Remus?"

"Open the door, Darren."

He swallowed and nodded. Turning back, he pressed a stone on the wall to the right and the door slid soundly open. "Headmaster Dumbledore," He said in a pleasant voice, careful to keep it even. "What brings you here?"

"Ah. Mister…"

He forced himself not to scowl at the stupid twinkle the wizard's eyes. "Yealo, sir. Darren Yealo."

"Ah, yes, yes, of course."

Remus stepped up beside Darren, who breathed a soft sound of relief and retreated to the inner rooms. "Albus. May I ask why it is you are here?"

"Can an old man not visit one of his former pupils?"

"No." Amber eyes glinted. "Not without a reason. With you there is always a hidden agenda. I'd like to hear your reason before you even step through the threshold."

"Really, Remus, you know I can come in whether you will it or not." A grandfatherly smile caused the many wrinkles on his face to stand out. "Hogwarts, if you would…"

Remus tensed and stepped back a few times. The threshold shimmered and magic swirled, holding against whatever onslaught the castles sentient being was attempting to dish out. He held his breath and watched as the silvery image of Harry's chosen crest appeared. The silver faerie dragon was curled around, and clutching, at a black blade, the hilt of which was adorned with a howling wolf within a pearlescent orb. The magic held and repelled the attack in a visible wave of power. He let the breath out with a soft 'whoosh'.

"I see you have warded these rooms against Hogwarts herself…"Dumbledore mused as he stroked his long beard. He took his wand out and pointed it at the visage of the crest. "_Amoveo pilla incantamentum Hecatamus!_"

The crest shimmered and the silver dragon roared, spreading its wings before vanishing in a flash of black fire. Dumbledore hummed in approval while he stepped through and brushed past a furious Remus. The werewolf growled at the unwelcome intrusion and followed the wizard into the lounge room. Darren was standing protectively by Lily, who was pale and trembling ever so slightly, while Sirius sat beside her and murmured soft, comforting words. Remus guessed that he was assuring her of her son's health, which he himself hoped was not as bad as he feared.

There had been one time since Harry had bonded with his mate when his own magic had lashed out and attacked him. The magic of a Hecatamus worked on instinct and reacted to the reactions of the individual themselves. In that case, Harry had been given a lust potion, designed specifically for Hecatamae, by a particularly dense wizard. It had been at a ball in Germany, held by the Szina family, and Harry had only attended because Marci, his packs Delta and Healer, as well as his close friend, had begged him to. When Harry's body had reacted to the potion, his magic had begun to freeze his magical core. He had been unconscious for days and had been freezing cold to the touch.

He hoped, beyond everything, that this had not occurred out in the snowy weather.

"Ah, Lily, my dear girl, what ever is the matter?"

Angry green eyes locked on the wizard and the fiery red head shot up. "Don't you dare call me that!" She poked him in the chest, accentuating her next words with an extra hard poke. "You. Have. Made. Our. Lives. Hell!" Darren stepped forward and gently pulled her back. She began to tremble again. "And now my baby boy is hurt…all because of you!"

"I assure you, my dear, that Daniel is quite safe."

"Daniel! Why the hell would I be upset over his health!"

Dumbledore looked confused. "He is your son, is he not?"

Lily's eyes flashed with the same dangerous glint that Harry's own emerald orbs possessed. "That…_boy_, is a spoilt little, fame seeking, ignorant brained, arrogant asshole!"

Blue eyes widened in honest surprise and for a moment anger flashed. "Lily, you cannot honestly mean that." He stepped forward. "Perhaps Harry's biased views on our world have warped your own."

Lily stiffened and Darren let her go as his own dark eyes turned a brilliant gold. "How dare you! How dare you claim that _my son_ has biased views on this world! You have no idea how hard he works to keep this world from falling apart!"

Remus' eyes widened and he quickly moved forward to envelope his wife in a hug. His heart beat frantically in the hope that Dumbledore wouldn't pick up on the small slip Lily had given. "Shh, Lily, it's alright."

"No it's not!" Her voice was muffled against his chest and she sobbed as she clung to him. "My baby! My poor baby…"

Dumbledore shifted uncomfortably. "I am well aware that Harry has campaigned for equal rights for all creatures and beings, but he fails to see the damage the Dark creatures can cause in our world. I am sorry to say that it just would not work."

If Darren was willing to risk the safety of his pack, and the fury of his alpha, he would rip the foolish old coot's throat out, Azkaban be damned. He held back the growl and barely managed to restrain his wolf self form lunging at the wizard.

"Get out."

"I beg your pardon Remus?"

The werewolf whirled around, amber eyes blazing with a fiery fury that Dumbledore had never before seen. "I said, _GET OUT!_"

"Very well. I will speak to you another day." His blue eyes locked onto Sirius. "Ah, Sirius, what has brought you to Hogwarts?"

"Interest in my friends son."

"As I said, Daniel is quite safe, though I am sure he would love nothing more than to spend some time with you."

"I was not speaking of Daniel."

Dumbledore frowned. Grey eyes rested calmly on his. "Why is everyone so worried for Harry's health? He has shown that he is quite capable of defending himself, and has put more than a fair few students into the Infirmary."

"Everyone has their weaknesses, Albus. Some people," The grey eyes burned with anger and Sirius shifted into a slight defensive stance. "Like to share that information with others, for the soul purpose of causing harm."

Dumbledore drew himself up. None of them could know anything, because the boy would most likely never wake. "Is that so? Well, as interesting a conversation as that would be, I believe I am no longer wanted here. I bid you all good day."

Just as he was stepping out the door, he could have sworn he saw a pair of glowing red cat eyes and a voice whispering, "_What makes you think you are safe, Dumbi Dumbi?_"

**A/N:** I admit that I stole the name **Dumbi Dumbi** from **Olaf74**. It was so amusing that I thought that maybe Merynes, being a Hell Cat and a bit of a natural prankster, would use something entirely different and more amusing. To be honest, the name makes me think of a Bambi-like deer with a long grey beard dressed in bright yellow with happy little pink bunny rabbits all over it.


	14. First Meetings?

**A/N:** I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter. I hope this one is just as good!

**Chapter Fourteen-- First Meetings?**

Dumbledore was furious. The anger seethed and warped beneath his kindly persona and threatened to spill out into the outside world. He couldn't allow it to happen, but he was running out of excuses for his short temper and snappish voice. He had claimed that the stress of trying to assimilate sixty-three foreign students into three years and four Houses was taxing; the almost deadly altercations between Hogwarts and Durmstrang continued regardless of anything he tried. In fact, they had escalated in the past few days, and he claimed no ignorance of the reason for that.

He glared at the thick tome before him. _The Hogwarts Headmasters Guide_ had a self updating list of where each and every student had been in the morning and the evening of each day. Harry Evans had yet to leave the Hufflepuff dormitories for the third day running. More than one Slytherin Sorted Durmstrang student had spent the night there and Pomona Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff House, had shown no qualms about that matter. In fact, she was actively supporting it, loudly informing the other Professors that at least her House could put aside their differences and open their doors to the new students.

The most annoying fact was that he now knew that Durmstrang really did have a Healer amongst the students, and that they were a Hufflepuff. He suspected that this accepting attitude the Hufflepuff's had adopted was due to her presence. It also answered the question of how they were recovering from the impromptu duels without once visiting Madame Pomfrey. Just the other day the medi-witch had been attempting to heal a rather nasty skin burning hex when none other than Marci Szina had stuck her head inside the Hospital Wing and informed the nurse that a simple Skin Stitch potion would fix it right up, but that she might want to give him a Pain Relieving one first.

So he had the identity of the Healer, but he couldn't exploit that fact. The Healers Guild had sent a lengthy letter informing him that if any harm should befall the young witch than he would be answering to them directly. It was signed by the Guild Mistress herself. He wasn't willing to antagonise the Healers, since they were so closely linked with the Mages Guild. He would need the Healers and Mages when the war finally spilled out. Voldemort would not be holding back for much longer. Obviously the wizard was biding his time, sending the Wizarding world crazy with the anxious, nervous wait they were enduring.

He was fairly sure that the young Healer was the one that the Council had sent to check on him. He mused that it was probably foolish of him to have doubted that the Durmstrang students coming to Hogwarts was purely caused by the war. No doubt the parents would have rather home schooled the children, instead of sending them into the beginning of a war zone. The Council certainly did have a lot influence within Europe. He would need to tred carefully around young Marci, and this was the only reason why he had not stormed the Hufflepuff dorms and forcibly removed Harry.

He wondered whether the boy's core was still frozen and whether or not Marci had managed to remove the silver from his system. It had been a truly ingenious idea to accidentally leave information on Harry's creature types and their weaknesses out in the open on his desk, and then call Ron Weasley to his office. He had only left the wizard for five minutes, but the parchments had been shifted slightly. The attack only proved that all had gone to plan. His only question was, how far did the Weasley boy go and how much did he enjoy it?

Those questions could only be answered in time, and he had very little patience these days.

Those spells, while being Ancient, were not complicated and took very little, if any, power to cast. They had been created that way, ensuring the safety of wizards against a foe who was devastatingly powerful. Never mind the fact that the Hecatamae had no defence against the spells. With no access to external magic, they would be forced to access the heavily shielded, and unpredictable, magic within their Cores. It was dangerous for them, rather than for the wizard. The only problem in that was that Hecatamae, and Hecatamus' in particular, would send a blast of magic to 'mark' their attackers. He vaguely remembered Ron and three other boys walking around, oblivious to the small black smudge on the side of their necks.

As he sat back and sipped his tea, he wondered whom Harry was bonded to. It was obviously a magically powerful individual; a Hecatamus would not mate with someone of average power, they sought the strongest and the one who could easily suit their own lives. Harry seemed to lead a fairly boring, politically driven life. His ability with magic aside, the one thing he seemed intent on was ensuring equality for those with creature blood.

"Ah, the foolishness of youth." He chuckled and felt some of his tension slide away.

Musing over the mate issue, he suddenly realised that there was a simple, easy way to get the boy out of his hair and to force his core walls to crumbled and break, hopefully resulting in Harry's death. If he could find the boy's mate, then he could break the bond and shatter any power the pair held. He only had to narrow the field down.

With a brand new plan in mind, the ageing wizard bustled about, never once realising exactly what he was doing.

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Daniel Potter had never liked the overly loud and boisterous atmosphere that overtook Gryffindor tower at night. Despite that, he always made sure to engage the others in loud conversations, sneaking in derogatory comments on the brand new students. More than once he had wanted to take Laura Darcian aside and explain to the fifth year that he meant none of it, that all he wanted to do was say those things to his own classmates.

He watched as Laura continued her heated argument with Darren Yealo. Over what, he had no idea, but it was obviously distressing the witch. Darren's eyes were flashing from a bright gold to a deep brown and it was unnerving to see, despite the fact that he had had over a week and a half to get used to seeing it. He had been vaguely curious over how it was possible, until he noticed that the seventh year wasn't the only one with those odd eyes. A small group of Durmstrang students shared that common trait, the switching of normal eye colour to that of gold.

Even his twin had it. Although, if he allowed himself to, he could remember Harry doing that when they were little. He had hated it then, hated the fact that his brother was so much more special than him.

With a sigh, Daniel turned to his friend, Ron. "I'm gonna go out for a bit of a fly."

The red head grinned and elbowed him, hard. "Bit of practise, eh? I hear the Durmstrang side has your _twin_ as a Seeker. Probably crap at it. Cheaters, the lot of 'em."

The word 'twin' was said with such disdain that Daniel had to stop himself from flinching back. In the strongest, steadiest voice he could muster, he replied, "Of course. Death Eaters like them could never win a match against us! Honestly don't see why they even proposed the match. I'm sure Ginny will catch the snitch a minute in, give Evans a run for his money while he struggles to stay on the broom! No wonder so many of them ended up in Slytherin."

The surrounding boys guffawed, except for Neville Longbottom who was intently glaring at him. Waving, he collected his Firebolt and left the tower. The blessed silence of the castle soothed his frayed nerves. Lately, Gryffindor had gotten worse and he was glad that his status as Head Boy allowed him to move about freely during the night. He had been going out to fly at odd times while the tower slept, though he was sure the newest additions knew when he left and when he returned.

As he stepped out of the castle, the cold winter wind stroked along his skin and bit into his body. He hadn't bothered to put a cloak on, and he took his wand out and cast a warming charm over himself. Swinging a leg over the broom he took off into the sky.

Half an hour later, his body tired and his limbs frozen, his heart was lighter and his soul far happier. He hovered in the air and closed his eyes, letting the night swallow him up. Out here, in this darkness, he was anonymous. He was not the Boy Who Lived, Chosen One, Saviour of the Wizarding World and all that crap. He was just Daniel Potter, a good flier and Keeper, nobody special at all.

"What are you doing out here?"

The voice startled him and he slid off the broom, eyes widening as the thought of hitting the ground this high up froze his mind. But then strong arms grabbed a hold of him just as he fell past a disused tower and pulled him over the edge. He clutched at his saviour, gasping and shaking in utter terror.

"Gee, if this is you falling, I'd hate to see what you're like against the Dark Lord."

The voice was laced with both sarcasm and amusement, but the use of Voldemort's title had been tensing and biting out, "Only his mindless minions call him that."

"Or perhaps those who don't particularly care?"

He looked up and his hazel eyes latched onto the glowing emeralds of his twin. "Harry?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "What happened to Evans?"

Daniel pushed himself up, hands on the cold stones beside his brother's body. Harry was watching him as he drank in the sight of his twin. He hadn't been able to really look at his brother in the time he'd been here, and he found that there were several things that raised questions in his mind. Leaning his weight on one hand he reached up and traced a thin silver scar that marred the tanned neck. "What's this?"

"I'll tell you when you get off."

Blushing, he scrambled backwards until his back rested against the stones behind him. "Sorry."

Harry peered at him. "Are you blushing? My god, the great Boy Who Lived blushes!" He grinned. "Or, wait. Does the Chosen One like boys?"

Daniel glared at him. "Fuck off. And don't call me that! I'm sick of the Prophet and everyone else blaring out my supposed destiny."

Silence reigned a moment. "You don't want to fight, do you?"

"No. And why are being nice to me?"

"Momentary lapse of sanity. Good for one night."

Daniel snorted. "Now you sound like some sort of harlot." He ran a hand through his hair, messing up the fiery strands. "Although, according to Ron you are."

Harry tensed and his emerald eyes flashed gold. When the magic began to whip around them, Daniel leaned forward and shook his brother's shoulder. "Harry!"

He watched as his brother sagged and a sort of half-sob made its way passed tightly closed lips. He frowned and, hesitantly so, wrapped and arm around the boy. "It's okay. Everything'll be fine." He rocked them a little once he'd settled beside him. "S'okay, Harry."

Harry shook and trembled, but no tears fell, and every now and then a sob would make its way out. Daniel didn't know what was wrong, and he thought it odd that Harry could be crying without the actual tears. His heart bled for his older twin, and he ached to make better whatever pain he suffered from. In the back of his mind, something whispered that he shouldn't be doing this, he was meant to hate Harry, despise him and make his life hell.

"Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you caring?"

Daniel frowned. Harry sat up a little straighter and looked at him with clear emerald eyes. His dark locks brushing over his eyes and swaying in the wind. "Shouldn't I?"

"To be honest? No. This last week or so has shown that you're just like the rest of Gryffindor: idiots, and weak-minded individuals. Personally, we think you lot resembled mindless sheep following the closest fluffy thing."

He gave a small laugh. "Like Dumbledore."

"Dumbi Dumbi, Dumbles, Bumbledore, Bambidore, take your pick."

"Where did all those come from?"

"Familiars."

"Which are illegal here."

Harry waved a hand in the air. "Exempt. One of the many perks of being a foreigner."

Daniel blinked. "But, you were born here…"

Harry cocked his head to the side. "Didn't _father_ tell you?"

"Tell me what? And don't say it that way."

"I'll say it whichever way I want to, freedom of speech. James Potter wrote to the Ministry and Gringott's informing them of his intention of disowning me. Mum had already informed them of the divorce and the Ministry told him that he couldn't disown someone who wanted nothing to do with the Potter name."

"But Gringott's sent dad a letter saying that you had decided to claim the title of Heir Apparent."

"Yup." Emerald eyes danced with laughter. "Decided that it would benefit me and annoy the shit out of him. I just refuse to wear the ring they sent. Horrible crest. Really, it is."

Daniel let out a small laugh. He wondered why it was so easy to get along… "Harry?" His brother looked over to him. "How come we're getting along so easily?"

Harry frowned, a thoughtful look flitting over his face. With a sigh, he responded, "Do you ever wonder, what life would have been like if James could have accepted what I am?" He closed his eyes. "I did. For years I wondered." He shrugged. "And then I stopped caring."

Daniel frowned. He knew Harry was right, but… "Why did you and mum leave?" His voice was soft, whisper quiet in the night air. "Why?"

Harry looked as his brother and gave a small half-smile. "Mum made the decision, and it was hard for her, trust me on that. For weeks I would catch her crying at night. She tried to convince me she wasn't sad about leaving, but I could sense it, in the air. Her aura would change, shifting to mirror her sadness." He cocked his head to the side. "She was leaving one of her children, a hard decision for any mother I presume."

"Not for father's."

"Mhmm. But you had Sirius, right?"

Daniel shook his head. "Not really. Dumbledore decided that Padfoot's prankster attitude was a bad influence for me growing up. To be honest, dad's desperate attempts at turning me into an impeccable pureblood were the worst things."

"Ah, the whole half-blood with biased pureblood views. I've heard about that."

"From who?"

Harry laughed at the annoyed expression; the nose wrinkled and the brows drew into a frown, while the hazel eyes focused intently on the stone wall across from them. "If I say everyone would that be a bad thing?"

"Gah. Everyone thinks I'm horrible!"

Laughter rang out in the night, and a cooing noise soon drifted over to them. Harry smiled and hissed, "**I was wondering when you'd get here.**"

Daniel jerked away from Harry and stared at him. "Who are you talking to?"

A silver shape barrelled into Harry and a long pink tongue lapped at his face. Snickering, Harry pulled Phanta back and held her small body out for Daniel to see. "This is Phanta, my familiar. She's a Faerie Dragon, of the Moon Element." He frowned slightly. "**Can you understand me?**"

"Of course I can you blithering idiot!"

Phanta climbed into Harry's lap and curled her tail around his thigh, her head resting on a folded wing, the large onyx eyes watching Daniel like he was a piece of delicious food. "**Your brother is a Parselmouth as well. And he smells like pudding. Your smell is better, Master. Baaccoonn…**"

Daniel blinked at the dragon. "I'm a what? And stop looking at me like that!"

Harry blinked and carefully schooled his amused expression into a serious one. "A Parselmouth. You can speak to, and understand, snakes." He frowned slightly. "But how could you have gotten it?"

_Because I was an idiot and attempted to kill him. Why are you even near that boy?_

_He's not hurting me, and look, his aura is calm, just a little nervous._ It was true; Daniel's aura was a calm blue, mixed in with a creamy white along with a few tendrils of black. _Why are you talking to me, Tom?_

_Why are you blocking me?_

_Because I don't want to talk to you!_ Harry pushed against the link, using a small amount of magic to seal it, tighter than before. His heart beated frantically in his chest and he told himself there was nothing to fear, he was safe. For now.

Daniel bit his lip. "I don't know. I didn't even know about it." He brought his knees up and wrapped his arms around them, resting his cheek on a knee and facing his brother. "And the only person I can ask is you."

"Because it's classified as a talent of Dark wizards? Stupid, you know. Sal isn't even that Dark, just endlessly annoyed by Godric."

Hazel eyes blinked. "What?"

Phanta raised her head. "**The Founders. Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor. Master enjoys talking to their portraits.**"

"Oh." He nodded, clearly a little unsure. "So, you have this ability? And how are you talking to the Founders portraits? I thought Dumbledore had the only ones?"

Harry snorted. "That man is an idiot. The Founders are gone from those portraits anyway. And yeah, I'm a Parselmouth too."

Daniel turned his face up to the night sky, watching the stars wink as the half full moon bathed them in soft silver light. Talking to Harry was refreshing, he hadn't dared approach the other but was glad for his presence.

"**He respects her, master.**"

Harry smiled and stroked Phanta's head as her wings opened slightly, the scales on her body glowing in the shadows.

"Respects who?"

Daniel was looking at them curiously, though his eyes rested mainly on the dragon. "The Moon. Phanta is a big fan."

"**Nasty master.**" Phanta hissed and leaped out of his arms to perch on the stone wall, looking up at the moon. "**She is beautiful, like smooth silver, unblemished and powerful.**" She turned dark eyes to Daniel. "**Do you see her?**"

"I don't understand. The moon is used for potions, plants, spells…" He glanced at Harry. "And Were's."

Phanta hissed, her tail lashing in annoyance. "**No! Look past that. Look at her, she is not some planet useful for your silly little potions and spells! She is powerful, an entity in her own right. Look at her, as if she were a person you wanted to know.**"

Daniel huffed but gazed up at the moon all the same. He blinked and a small tendril of silver magic seemed to stretch down and curl around Harry, who smiled and held his hand out, the magic stroking over his skin.

"See? This is pure Moon Magic. It's rare to see it, and it can't be harnessed by a wizard."

"Hecatamae. I remember reading that some were linked to the Moon or the Sun. I'm guessing yours is the Moon?"

Harry laughed. "No. That's wrong. Wizards think they have us figured out, but in truth we change as often as magic, twisting for the situation." He flicked his fingers and the silver magic soared over to Phanta, who cooed in pleasure as it wrapped around her. "We just attract magic of any sort. You'd be surprised at how many times a spell destined for someone else finds its way over to me."

Daniel smiled. "Talking to you is nice. I don't know why dad forbids it. And you don't seem Dark at all, unless Dumbledore can see something I can't."

"I can't be Light, not being what I am. And I'll always be Dark to Dumbledore. But I'm neither, I don't think I could stand being on one side or the other."

He cocked his head to the side and gazed at his twin curiously. "You're Grey?"

Harry snorted and Phanta looked over at them, stilling in the swaying she had taken to. His brother cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm neutral, and Grey in more ways than one." The last bit was said in more of a whisper than anything else.

Daniel was a little confused by that, but chose to say nothing. He had already learned more about his own twin than he had ever counted on. A little over a half hour passed before Harry stood, holding his hand out to pull Daniel up.

"We'd better head back, I doubt your dorm mates will react favourably when they find you gone. And knowing Darren, he'll curse you first and then ask me where I was." Harry flicked his hand and Daniel's broom was suddenly floating beside him. "Here. Wouldn't want to loose that before the match."

Daniel grinned. "You know we're going to beat you?"

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Not gonna happen. We played with Viktor Krum, and I was his training partner. I'm sure I can beat your own Seeker."

"Ginny's too good for that!"

"Ah, the little red head that Laura seems taken with. Hmm. Well, we'll see won't we?"

Daniel glanced up at the moon before they moved through a door and descended the stairs. "The full moon is almost here. What are you going to do?"

Harry gave him a pointed look. "I don't have to go through the transformation, remember?"

The red head blushed, ducking his head. "Oh, yeah. But what about your pack? Ron mentioned you had one."

Again, Harry's body tensed and his eyes flashed gold. Phanta flew through the door and landed on his head, digging her claws into his hair and tugging. The gold vanished and Harry heaved a great sigh, mentally thanking the little dragon. "Not even Dumbledore knows that there is a pack here, so can I trust you?"

Daniel looked in surprise at his brother. "I'm Dumbledore's Golden Boy, why would you want to trust me?"

Harry gave a small smile, and opened his palm. A small ball of purple light hit him in the face, the warm tingle of magic seeping through his skin. "Because of that."

"What was that?"

"A spell designed similar to the Fidelius Charm. It can be changed in accordance to the casters wishes. You won't be able to tell, or talk, about me and my pack whether you want to or not."

"Oh."

"So, in answer to your question, we haven't come up with a way to go through the transformation without Dumbledore knowing how many of us there are. If we suddenly vanish for a day or so, he'll get suspicious and it wouldn't take long for him to realise what's going on."

Daniel frowned as they paused at the bottom of the stairs. "Well, none of you have ever been to the Hospital Wing, right?"

Harry nodded. "Correct. We can't let this Madame Pomfrey know what we are."

"Okay, so why don't we use that to your advantage?"

Harry blinked. "You mean get cursed on purpose, then let our own Healer 'keep' us for a few days…" He grinned and clapped Daniel on the shoulder. "Good god, the Boy Who Lived's a genius!"

Daniel smiled, comfortable in the presence of his brother even as they walked through a disused part of the castle. Dust clouds rose as they stepped and Phanta cooed as she flew on before them. There were no portraits here, but paintings of dragons, griffins, eagles and badgers swept over the stones, rippling as they followed.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"These…paintings, they're following us."

Harry stopped and watched as the gold griffin paused and spread its red tinged wings. He smiled. "It's Hogwarts."

"What?"

"The castle." He motioned around them with a hand. "She's sentient, the amount of magic that hums in the air keeps her alive in a way. Since this part of the castle is deserted, I suppose she's allowed the essences of the Founder's magic to play as they will."

Daniel looked back at the wall. The emerald dragon watch him with silver eyes, the eagle perched on one of its wings. The badger had taken up residence beneath the belly of the griffin, comfortably lying on its back. "Cool."

By the time they reached the Fat Lady, Daniel was more than comfortable with his twin, he felt safe and protected for the first time in a long time. He noticed Harry stiffen beside him. "What's wrong?"

Emerald eyes closed a moment, before the teen shook his head. "It's nothing. I'll see you in the morning."

Confused, Daniel watched his twin walk down the corridor a little ways before he called out, "Where are you going?"

"Hufflepuff." Harry cocked his head to the side and paused. "Why?"

"But you're in Gryffindor…wait. That's where you've been the past few days!"

Harry narrowed his eyes. "If you think I'm going to sleep in the same room as Weasley, then you're delusional."

Daniel blinked. "What did Ron do? He's been going on about how he got you back for all the curses you guys have been throwing around, but he never mentions what he did."

Harry shook his head. "Never mind, Daniel. Good night."

"Hey, Harry?"

Harry sighed, turning slightly. "Yeah?"

"Could you call me Dan?"

"What?"

Daniel ducked his head, a faint blush colouring his cheeks. "You used to call me that, when we were kids."

Harry could only blink in shock. "Okay…one, you hated it, and two…we don't really know each other, we're not all brotherly, nor friends. We're closer to enemies."

"I know." His voice was so full of sadness and regret that it called out to Harry. "But, I want to be friends. I don't think the whole brother thing would work out so well right now."

Harry sighed. "Fine. I'll call you Dan. But don't be cursing my peers any more, we don't deserve it."

Daniel nodded. "I never liked it in the first place. Night, Harry."

As Harry turned a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. So that Hecatama, who he strongly believed was either Fate or Balance, had been right. His brother was nothing like what he thought he was. Would it be too far fetched to blame his arrogant, spoilt little fame-seeking attitude on James Potter and Albus Dumbledore?


	15. An Assassin And A Dark Lord

**A/N:** So, Tom hasn't really been around and I promised you guys this chapter, so...Here it is!

To **chibi-chan**, I was gonna reply, but I couldn't find your email. As for your review, it wasn't harsh, I actually respect what you said and thank you for it. Please please please, send me your email so I can explain it all.

**EDIT 4-06-08-- Thanks a bunch to Kai Minomono who noticed that 'blood' instead of 'blade' had been used in this chapter.**

**Warning: SLASH scene ahead!**

**Chapter Fifteen-- An Assassin And A Dark Lord**

**Fourteen Years Old, Little Hangleton Graveyard, First Encounter**

Harry leaped from the low branch up to a higher one, crouching as the tree swayed with his movements. The rat like man glanced over, his beady eyes twitching, but returned to the large cauldron before him. He watched as the man took a bone from the earth and threw it in the potion, before moving to the boy tied to a gravestone.

Daniel Potter.

"Merde."

His own twin was there, which meant that this whole thing had to do with Voldemort. At least now he understood why the Guild Master had instructed him to limit his…death count to that of known Death Eaters only. He frowned as the man took a blade, silver, and sliced Daniel's arm. Harry winced as the blood dripped into a vial. He had to admire his brother's courage, unless it was stupidity. The boy was calmly talking to the man, although a burning hatred lay in his eyes.

The man ignored his captive and tipped the vial of blood into the cauldron. He hesitated then, before bringing the blade down on his own arm, cutting the right hand off above the wrist. Harry raised an eyebrow, his emerald eyes narrowing as the potion turned a pure white. He mentally ran through every potion he knew, searching for ones requiring the ingredients he'd seen and with an end result of white.

"Oh, fuck."

Barely hesitating, he leaped from the tree and landed on the ground in a crouch, one hand placed on the wet grass to steady himself. Again, the man looked over, his eyes scanning the landscape. But the bubbling of the cauldron caught his attention, and he turned back to it. Harry crept across the ground, weaving between the tombstones, before stationing himself where he could easily see Daniel and the surrounding area. If the bloody Dark Lord was going to come back, that meant he would be calling his stupid little minions.

The Guild Master had known. The infuriating man had consulted with a Seer only the week before. Damnit, he'd known that Voldemort would be returning. Harry sighed and settled into a more comfortable position. He adjusted the fingerless gloves and checked that his hood and veil were in the right position. Then he checked his boots. And then the katana strapped to his back; he checked the straps and ensured that the handle of the weapon was in easy reach. Finally, he pulled the blade from the sheath on his right arm. The black blade glimmered in the moonlight, sucking the light into it.

More than one Assassin had attempted to forcibly remove the blade, and the Mages had even challenged him to several duels in order to obtain it. It didn't matter; the Nexus Blade could only be wielded by a Hecatamae of its own choice. The power within it had helped him on more than one occasion and he would never relinquish it; even after death he would hold onto it.

A movement caught his attention and he watched as a naked Voldemort was robed by the little rat man. A whiff of something divine drifted over on the wind and Harry cocked his head to the side. Winter breezes and cinnamon. He frowned and sniffed at the air, but the smell was gone. Shrugging, he watched as Voldemort pressed his wand to the man's arm, where the black Dark Mark stood out against his left forearm. A dozen robed Death Eaters apparated into the area, and the little man was gifted with a brand new silver arm.

Harry winced at the sight. He would have to be sure to not go near the man; one simple touch from that hand and he would go down. Fast.

He yawned as Voldemort blathered on about loyalty and something to do with none of them ever coming to look for him. It was all very boring, considering he was only here to rid the world of some Death Eaters. He frowned and leaned forward as the ropes binding Daniel vanished and a red spell caused blood-curdling screams to rise from his twitching body.

"Fuck."

Harry moved fast, his blade a blur as he sliced the throat of one Death Eater, who gurgled as he fell. It wasn't until the next fell that the Cruciatus curse was lifted from his twin and every wand was trained on him. He smirked, knowing they couldn't see it, and gave a mock bow, sure to keep his eyes trained on Voldemort. He wasn't worried about the others.

"Well, what do we have here." Voldemort glided forward a few steps. "An Assassin."

The last was hissed out and Harry straightened, his emerald eyes glowing brighter. "And if it isn't the famed Dark Lord. Weren't you the one who was defeated by a mere year old babe? Shame."

"Insolent fool!" A red beam of light shot towards him and he side stepped it easily. "Bow down before me! Or do you seek Death's embrace?"

"And you call me a fool? I dish out personalised invitations to Death, I don't fear the end."

Harry saw a slight movement and inwardly sighed as Daniel finally caught up and started edging towards the fallen body of another wizard and the stupid Triwizard cup. He was glad that he had managed to arrive in time to manipulate the magic within the Killing Curse sent at the downed wizard; it was not his time to die.

Unfortunately, Voldemort saw the movement as well.

Harry swore and vanished only to reappear in front of Daniel. A blast of magic stopped the curse headed that way and he absorbed the power. "Get going, Potter!" He flicked his fingers and the wizard and cup flew over to land on the ground. "Go!"

Daniel stared at him a moment later, before scrambling to grab hold of the wizard and the cup. "Thank you."

Harry scowled as they vanished. He spun and ducked as a barrage of spell soared over to him. A wave of his hand and a shimmering barrier erected itself. He watched as Voldemort strode over to him. "Can I help you?"

"What business does the Assassins Guild have in this matter?"

Emerald eyes danced with amusement. "Don't you know? Your Death Eaters have death sentences hanging over their heads, but I'm afraid the precious Light's Boy Who Lived does not."

"You are not Light sided. Curious. Then you are with the Dark?"

Harry snorted, glaring at the snake faced man before him. "I guess thirteen years as a bodiless spirit would fry anyone's brains." Several more spells slammed into his shield. "Notice anything about my clothes, oh Lord of the Snakes?"

Voldemort scowled, or at least, it looked like he did. Having no eyebrows made it hard to tell. His blood red eyes raked over the Assassin before him, taking in the hooded top that ended around his thighs, split in the front, back and on the sides, the black sash that wrapped around his middle, the pants that hugged his thighs, the black dragon hide boots and the black veil that hid his lower face. Other than the sash, veil and boots, the entire ensemble was a soft charcoal grey.

"Grey. Strange."

"In more ways than one." Harry gave a low sweeping bow, trusting his instincts as he took his eyes off the man before him. " A pleasure to meet you."

Red eyes narrowed, and the slit like nostrils flared. Again, that odd scent drifted over to Harry and he frowned, tipping his head to try and pinpoint it. At the same time, he realised just who the rat like man was.

"Pettigrew!"

Quicker than anyone could react, Harry shot forward, abandoning his shield, and slashed at the mans middle. Blood spurted forth and coated the ground. Peter Pettigrew's eyes shot around and he trembled as pain wracked his body. "M-m-Master!"

Harry ignored the closing in of the Death Eaters, every sense focused on the man who betrayed the trust of his parents. "By the decree of the Guild Council, and based on the rights given to me by the Assassin Guild Master, I take your life Peter Pettigrew." The black blade moved in a graceful slash and the neck of the man split, covering his now lifeless body in bright red blood.

"Perhaps, Assassin, it would serve you well to join my ranks. I promise you a high placing."

Harry whirled and faced the man, his nostrils flaring and finally zeroing on the tantalising scent. He cursed in his mind, but kept himself focused. "Are you a fool?" He hissed. "I am Grey, both in name and position! I take no sides in this war of yours. Wage it; destroy the bloody world for all I care! But mark my words, Voldemort, you get in the way of one of my missions, and I won't hesitate to end your own life."

In a swirl of magic, Harry vanished.

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**Fifteen Years Old, Somewhere Just Outside Of London, Sixth Encounter**

Voldemort was furious, beyond that really, and Harry still found it endlessly amusing. He dodged another curse and his emerald eyes danced with laughter. It didn't matter how many times he appeared, hell bent on ending the life of more than one Death Eater, the man had never once gotten in his way. He could guess by the way his left eye was twitching that it was about to change. And soon.

Harry spun and slammed his boot into the knees of the robed Death Eater. A satisfying crack filled the air and the man screamed in agony. Crouching beside the man, he withdrew his blade. "You have been marked, Death Eater, by the Guild Council, as unworthy of this world." He sighed and twisted the mans wrist when he attempted to cast a spell. He snapped the wand and tossed it to the side. "By the decree of said Council, the Assassins Guild has been given the right to end your life and release your soul from this world."

"My lord!"

Harry frowned. This was the third man he'd killed today, the twenty first Death Eater since the resurrection of Voldemort, and the begging cry never ceased to annoy him. "You have been charged with the unnecessary torture and murder of over thirty muggle innocents, as well as three accounts of the selling of muggle children into magical slavery. As such, you have been granted the right to explain yourself, and the reasoning behind these actions."

He closed his eyes as the man blathered on about the goals of the Dark Lord. He could feel the eyes of Voldemort burning into him, moving almost constantly over his form. He resisted the temptation to shiver. His normally grey outfit was stained with blood, turning it black in several places, a testament to the blood he had spilled in only an hour.

Opening his eyes, he looked back at the man. "Your reasoning is found to be unjust, false and unnecessary." The black blade flashed. "The sentence has been carried out."

Harry stretched as he stood. He was remarkably comfortable whenever he was near Voldemort, the jittery wolf calming and his Hecatamus half practically cooing in delight. He knew what it meant, had known since that night in the graveyard.

The bloody Dark Lord was his mate.

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**Fifteen Years Old, Outside Riddle Manor, Ninth Encounter**

By the time six months had passed from the first encounter, over fifty-five Death Eaters, or unmarked supporters, had found death from the Nexus Blade. Harry had fast become reluctant to take on missions where there was a chance that he could come across Voldemort. The last time, the man had attempted to capture him and Harry hadn't been pleased at all. Oh, he was well aware that he was annoying the hell out of Voldemort, cutting his troops down was sure to piss him off.

But no, that was apparently not the reason behind the attempted capture at all. No, it was just the fact that the leader of the Light, Albus Dumbledore, was claiming that the mysterious Assassin, known now as Grey Shadow, was one of his most loyal.

That in itself had annoyed Harry and he had quite happily enlisted the help of a Master of Potions to send the man a nasty cocktail of potions with the intent of making his life hell for a few days. Severus Snape, the brother of his first teacher of the ways of the Assassin, Panah Snape. He had been endlessly amused to see how much older Pan looked in comparison to his brother. Snape was only two years younger, but both of them looked like life had dealt them a few heavy blows.

Harry yawned from his perch inside a tree, a black bow in his arms and a quiver of arrows slung across a branch beside him. He only had one mission at the moment, and that was to take out anyone seen coming from the supposedly empty Riddle Manor. The muggle repellent charms worked a treat and the spells designed to keep wizards away were good as well, they kept anyone unwanted away. And since Harry wasn't a wizard, he was the only logical choice.

With a sigh he stretched his legs before leaning forward a little. So far he'd taken down about five people and the inhabitants had become wary. He scanned the building…there! A window had been opened a moment before it suddenly slammed shut. He grinned when he caught sight of the individual who still stood at the window. He pulled an arrow from the quiver and notched it. Sighting down the arrow he pulled it back and released it, watching in satisfaction as it smashed the glass and embedded itself in the man's throat.

He grinned and settled back again. Closing his eyes he didn't see the fast moving shape that kept to the dark shadows of the trees. He never noticed as it stopped beneath him and he never saw the glowing gold eyes. He did, however, notice when he was pulled from his perch and slammed into the ground on his stomach, pinned to the ground by a growling werewolf. Cursing his own stupidity Harry tried to push the large wolf off of him, but the creature simply growled back, settling on his back.

He felt his wolf self reacting to the scent of a dominant Were and he cursed his own submissive nature, never mind the fact that it was his Hecatamus half doing the reacting. Concentrating, he pulled the wolf forward long enough for his skin to ripple with fur and his body to change, before quickly shoving it to the back of his mind. With an angry snarl, he shot forward, surprising the large brown wolf. Moving with the agility of carefully honed muscles and senses, he dodged the sudden attack of two more werewolves. He spun and headed towards the manor, noticing that the wolves fell back with angry whines. He leaped and changed mid-air as he slammed into the old stone walls. He scrabbled for grip and felt the rough surface skin his fingertips. He pressed himself against the wall and calmed his racing heart before beginning to climb up the wall. It wasn't like he had a choice; if he went down, the wolves would go for him again, and he couldn't simply hang onto the wall like a bat.

He looked up and caught sight of an open window. He hadn't been targeting this side of the manor, so he wasn't surprised to see that. He pulled himself over the ledge and landed on the floor with a soft 'thump'. He lay on his back, letting his racing heart slow down as he stared at the dark ceiling. He hadn't had a close encounter with a dominant wolf for years. The only ones he'd had trouble with had been a part of the Greyback pack, and Remus and Fenrir refused to allow them to claim him.

He shivered. He would prefer to be bound to Voldemort than to some sex-crazed wolf.

"Well, what do I have here?"

The voice slid over his senses and he jumped up, falling into a defensive crouch as the room lightened. "Voldemort."

And the Dark Lord did stand before him, but with a flick of the mans wand, the snake-face vanished to be replaced by a handsome young man, even though Harry knew he was over sixty years old.

"Ah, Grey. Imagine finding you here. I suppose Dumbledore put you up to this?"

Harry glared at the man. "Dumbledore? Bah, I would sooner die than side with the man."

"Good." Voldemort moved across the room to stop before him. "Are you aware that your veil has fallen?"

Harry's hand flew up and he cursed when he found the material hanging around his throat. The close proximity of the man before him was beginning to make his body tremble and he cursed again. "Must have fallen off while your wolves attempted to claim me." He settled for glaring at him in an attempt to ignore his own body.

Dark eyes flared with crimson. "What!" The man snarled and stalked past Harry to the window. "Fools!"

Harry frowned. This was not the behaviour he had been expecting. "Excuse me?"

"I did not give them permission to be on this property tonight. I will…_speak_ with them in the morning."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You mean torture them? Honestly, I'm surprised you aren't deaf from the screams. Or bored of the act."

In a flash, Harry found himself against the wall with a hard body pressed against him. "Do you ever tire of killing? Of ending the lives of others?"

Suppressing a moan, because the man was obviously oblivious to what he was doing, Harry choked out, "no, not really."

"Than what makes you think I do not enjoy torturing them?"

Closing his eyes, he knew his next words could mean his own death. Ironic that it would be at the hands of his own mate, even if the man didn't know it. "Because you don't. Because you wish you could ask for simple loyalty."

There was a heavy silence, and he cautiously opened his eyes to find Voldemort gaping at him. "How…never mind."

Now Harry was curious. "How did I know? Could be millions of things. Could be the fact that I know your past; know that you never really had friends. I always make sure to understand the more dangerous targets."

"But I am not a target, am I? Ah, but I knew there was reason I liked you, age be damned."

Before Harry could question him, a pair of soft yet hard lips was crushing his own. His magic whipped up, his wings shimmering into being as his two halves practically purred with delight. Moaning, he opened his mouth up and surrendered himself. Voldemort could only grin in delight as the Assassin willingly submitted to him. He hadn't been with a true submissive since before his…unfortunate defeat. The fact that the submissive was the very same Assassin that had been steadily cutting his forces down didn't really matter much now.

Letting his hands slid down to curve under the tense thighs, he lifted up and the legs obediently wrapped around his waist. He pushed the hood back and curled his fingers into the shaggy raven locks, tugging backwards and pressing kisses down over the teens chin. He bit lightly at the point where shoulder met neck and felt the muscles tremble. A wave of his hand had their clothes vanishing; he really wanted the boy, and he would be damned if he let such a specimen escape.

Harry was fast loosing what sanity he had. "Stop, please."

Voldemort's voice was low and husky as he murmured against his ear, "and why would I want to do that?"

"Age," Harry gasped out as the man rocked his hips against him, a moan slipping out.

"I care very little for age."

Harry gave a whine, which elicited a chuckle. "I'm not even legal!"

"Oh?" Voldemort pressed the teen against the wall and let his hands roam all over the tanned flesh. "And how old would you be?"

"Fif-fifteen!"

He raised an eyebrow. So a fifteen year old had successfully taken out men more ruthless than the most insane muggle serial killers? Curious. He pushed the thought aside in favour of curling his hand around the trembling proof of how much the Assassin wanted this. "I still fail to see your point, Grey."

Harry arched and, with another whine, he let go of his inhibitions and rolled his hips. The bloody age factor be damned, this was his mate and he was not going to be going anywhere any time soon it seemed.

Voldemort growled low in his throat. He tightened his hold on the teen and cautiously made his way over to the large bed in the centre of the room. He felt a shiver of magic spread through him as he lay the boy down on the edge. "Are you going to fight me?" He purred as his hands roved over the smooth skin.

"No!" Harry gasped. Jesus, this man was actually thinking he would have the ability to stop him? Now? He mentally snorted, even as he moaned out loud. For god's sake, the Hecatamae were related to Incubi and Succubi!

Voldemort smirked as his fingers trailed down, the teen gasped as one finger sunk in to the hilt. Wiggling the digit, he searched patiently until…there! He stroked his finger over the boy's prostate, revelling in the hitched cry. Tanned hands shot out and pulled his head down, soft lips clashing against him.

"Damn it, will you get on with it?" Harry growled, even as he arched as another finger was added.

The wizard grinned, removing his fingers and nudging the boy up the bed further. Watching as the teen scurried backwards, he absently cast a spell on himself. Crawling forward, he held himself up above the lithe body, staring down into darkened emerald eyes. In a soft voice that betrayed the soft part of his personality he had never managed to squash, he asked, "Are you sure?"

Harry blinked dazedly, desire making his body burn. "Yes."

In one smooth motion, Voldemort buried himself to the hilt, relishing the sudden heat. A cry of both pain and passion caused him to pause as he moved back. "Are you a…"

Harry gasped. "Virgin?" He groaned, shifting slightly to ease the burning pain in his behind. "Is it that obvious?"

The wizard frowned at the sarcasm. "There's no need to snap!"

Harry wiggled again and a spark of pleasure shot up his spine. "Oh god. Would you just move!"

Surprised, Voldemort paused a moment, before the golden legs wrapped around him and pulled him further in. Groaning, he braced himself above the boy, before their worlds spun into a tornado of desire, heat and husky moans, ending in a crescendo of wild colours.

The last thing either was aware of was falling to the side, a lancing pain splitting their heads open, before they sank into oblivion.

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**Fifteen Years Old, Riddle Manor, Tom Marvolo Riddle's Private Rooms**

Harry watched the sleeping man beside him. What was once a man named Voldemort, was now Tom Riddle to him. His own nature refused to allow him to call him anything but his real name. The bond was growing quicker than he'd thought it would. He had been there a total of three days, if he didn't contact the Guild soon, they would amass a team to find out what was going on. With a sigh, he gave a soft hiss, "**Phanta.**"

There was a flash and his familiar appeared beside him. The small, silver Faerie Dragon cooed and butted her head against his hand. They had only been bonded for a little over a year and he still felt awe at being chosen by the beautiful creature. He smiled and stroked his hand down the sleek body.

"**What is it that Master needs?**"

He frowned. "**Stop calling me that, it's odd.**" He glanced over at the man beside him, his eyes dancing as he frowned in his sleep and reached out, wrapping an arm around Harry's waist. He let himself be pulled closer, relishing in the contact of the warm body. "**I need you to go to Mere, use Ferio, and let her know I'm okay. Get her to contact the Guild Master, and tell him I…might be a while.**"

Phanta cooed and climbed over his shoulder to gaze down at the wizard. "**Master found Master Mate!**"

He sighed and grabbed hold of the excitable dragon before she could launch herself at his sleeping companion. "**Go!**"

With a huff, she spread her wings and leaped into the air, vanishing in another flash of magic. Harry shook his head and lay back against the cool sheets. His emerald eyes were glowing faintly and there was nothing he could do about it; the magic wasn't his and the owner wasn't aware of the link yet. He settled down and watched as Tom continued to sleep peacefully. He looked nothing like his…public persona. In place of a strange snake-like individual, was one of the most breathtakingly sexy men he had ever seen. And it wasn't like Harry had never peeked.

Tom frowned again, his nose wrinkling as he slitted his eyes open. Crimson glowed from within the dark depths as they opened fully to gaze at the calm Assassin beside him. "Good morning, Grey."

Harry tipped his head slightly, and rolled onto his side. "Do you feel anything different? Odd, perhaps? Something that wasn't there before?"

Tom blinked, before searching his mind. It took a few minutes before he realised that the contented feeling wasn't his alone. Following that, it only took him another moment or two before he was tugging on a link in his mind. Curiously, he whispered to it, _what is this?_

_Me, I suppose._ Harry watched as the wizard jerked and his eyes snapped open to look at him. "It's a…link."

"I can see that!" Scowling, he hissed, "**stupid, insolent brat.**"

"**Is it so nice to speak of your companion that way?**" Harry smirked. "**If it is, then perhaps I am in the wrong place.**"

"Wha?"

"How incredibly articulate of you."

Tom scowled again at him, before the growing bond suddenly decided that it wanted more contact between them. Giving a slight growl, which had Harry perking up, he wrapped his arm tightly around the younger mans waist and rolled on top of him. "You would do well to remember who it is you are talking to."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You think I was given my name simply because of the colour of my clothes? Or my standing in the war?"

Tom frowned. "Explain."

With a sigh, the emerald-eyed teen proceeded, not that he had much of a choice, really. "I was named Grey first, because I refused to declare my allegiance to either side. The ideas of both don't appeal to me. I'm part werewolf, which makes me a Dark creature, but at the same time I am also half Hecatamus, which makes me a Light creature as well. So the Guild Master named me Grey."

Tom blinked down at him, letting his pale fingers creep over tanned flesh as he straddled the boy. "Hmm. Continue."

"The name Shadow came when the Vamps realised they could never catch me and I was slipping in and out of any place I stepped foot in. It was a nickname at first, since _most_ Assassins don't take on two names. I thought I'd be one of the individuals." He shrugged and then sucked in his breath, unconsciously arching as his wrists were dragged over his head and magically bound to the head board.

"So," Tom said as took in the sight before him. "You are a hybrid. I had heard whispers of a Hecatamus having been born fifteen years ago, but to have two?"

Harry was confused. "Two?"

"You surely cannot be that one, because you are obviously older, despite your earlier claim, and he was a…_Potter_."

"I'm not a Potter."

"Good," he hissed as he leaned forward and captured a nipple between his lips. He smirked at the gasp.

"I'm an Evans."

He laved at the pink peak, humming, before his mind caught up with what had been said. He paused and his dark eyes glanced upwards. "An Evans? I have never heard of that family. From which country do they hail from?"

Harry tensed and Tom frowned. "England. And you wouldn't have heard of them. From what I remember you hate muggles."

Tom reeled back as if he had been struck. Anger turned his eyes blood red and summoned his wand to him. "Muggle! You filthy, little, lying _creature_!"

Harry winced. Magic pooled around him, separating as much of himself from the furious wizard as possible. He tugged at the bonds on his wrist, but they didn't budge. His magic wouldn't hold against his own mate for very long. "I am not a muggle! My mother may have been a Muggleborn witch, but I have no muggle blood, let alone wizard blood."

Tom's eyes narrowed. He slipped off of Harry to kneel beside him. He raised his wand and pointed it at the teen. "_Corpus servitus_."

Harry's eyes widened as invisible bonds wrapped around his body, tying him to the bed. A burst of magic rippled out and threw Tom from the bed. Concentrating on the spell, he began to tug and pull the magic into him. A few moments later he growled in frustration. "You put a Hecatamae spell on me!"

Tom smirked as he stood. "And why wouldn't I? Why let such a prize go? A hybrid, born from muggle blood."

Emerald eyes flashed, flecks of red suddenly appearing. Arching his back, Harry let out a muffled scream as he bit down on his lip. Instantly, Tom was beside him, staring down in curiosity at the odd eyes. He watched as Harry grimaced and trembled in the magical bonds. Several minutes passed before the teen settled back down, panting with the effort.

"What was that?"

Harry glared up at the man, but was inwardly glad that the red had receded. He knew that his own eyes would be a chaotic mix of emerald and red. "The bond."

"What bond is this, exactly?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" When Tom looked like he as about to explode again, he hurriedly continued, "It's a mate bond."

"Wha?"

"That's the second time you've been unable to form a sentence, let alone a whole word."

Tom blinked. "Mate bond? Are you saying that…"

Harry sighed. "That you're my mate? Yeah, that's kinda what I'm saying."

**A/N:** the hooded top that Harry was wearing, was loosely based off of the one that Altair is wearing in Assassin's Creed. I'm currently obsessing over the game, since my brother finally let me play it. And…No, Tom will not just accept the whole mate thing. But this was where my Muse decided to leave off, although there may be some flashbacks in the future…


	16. Clocks, Circles and Whippees!

**A/N:** Unfortunately it looks like my updates may slow down a little. Cringes. Sorry, but I'm having trouble writing chapter nineteen. I know what I want and how I want it to look, but for some reason the words don't quite work out when they get typed up. Hopefully I can finish that chapter and move on to the next few, which I already have planned out. I can, however, promise that I am _**not**_ abandoning this fic. I'm still adamant that I finish this before putting more time into any other fics. For anyone reading **The Fey Courtesan**, I do have chapter two almost finished, so maybe that might go up soon. And the companion piece to this story, **The History of The Hecatamae and The Sole Hybrid**, will be posted in two volumes, and separate parts, but all under the same title.

This chapter is a little lighter towards the end than most of the ones lately. And I'm still looking for ideas to use for pranks.

Dedicated to my wonderful beta, **Jess**, who inspired me to make Mere love the Clock Tower. This is my gift to her. Also dedicated to **Ignis et Ventus** and **moonjess** who were my 100th and 200th reviewers. I know I am _way_ behind in the thanking, but I never expected to get this many reviews. Big, ginormous cyber cookies to you!

**Chapter Sixteen—Clocks, Circles and Whippees!**

Mere scowled and the third year Gryffindor scampered out of her way. She was in a foul mood and didn't have the patience required to deal with insufferable brats who insisted on making her life hell. Glaring, she stomped up the stairs of the Clock Tower. Since arriving here, she had found it to be the most peaceful place within the walls of Hogwarts. Although, she _had_ made the mistake of letting the pack know of her newfound haven.

With a sigh she settled down in a shadowy corner and closed her eyes. Harry had refused to return to Gryffindor Tower, not that she blamed him or anything, but Dumbledore was now prying into why they all seemed to come and go from Hufflepuff at their own whims. She mentally snorted, remembering the look on Marci's face when her own Guild had written to her.

_Dear Miss Marci Aluie Szina,_

_It has come to our attention that the Headmaster of Hogwarts, one Albus Dumbledore, has taken it upon himself to inquire as to your role within the Durmstrang social structure. As such, the Guild Council has decided that, in order to protect the true spy, we will be giving him a vital clue in discovering that you are the envoy sent to determine which side of the war requires our assistance._

_Regretfully, this will make your day-to-day life more hectic than it has already become. I bid you good luck, and keep Grey safe, to the best of your abilities._

_Sale Moae,_

_Healers Guild Mistress_

Marci had chucked a fit; tearing apart her dorm, then tearing it apart again after every time Harry repaired it. It had been amusing for about an hour, but then the other Hufflepuff's had become curious and had ventured up the stairs. Harry had fallen on the floor in laughter at the look of shock on their faces as they stared at their once ordered dorm room.

Stretching, she cracked an eye open, watching as a group of fifth year Durmstrang students cautiously made their way over to her. A loud 'thump' sent them scurrying the rest of the way. She sighed, so much for peace.

Standing, Mere wasn't surprised to see Ron and his cronies. She was, however, surprised to see that Daniel was arguing fiercely with his friend. She strained her ears to hear.

"…can't just attack them!"

"And why not? They're Death Eaters!"

"They aren't marked! Listen, Ron, they're powerful, and could be good allies in the end, why should we alienate them now?"

Ron glared at him before jerking his wand up. A purple spell soared over and slammed into an invisible wall. "What the fuck?"

Mere raised an eyebrow. "Did you really think I would be walking around unprotected after the hell you've put us through?

The red head lifted his chin and raised his wand again. "Coward. I know exactly what you are. And if I have to eliminate every single one of you on my own, then so be it."

The amber eyed wereleopard let out a soft, menacing growl. At the same time one of the fifth years jerked, a hand flying up to a pendant on a thin gold chain. "Mere."

She glanced over and spied Laura. She frowned at the pendant. "Go. I'll foll--." A red spell shot forward and slammed into her shoulder, the invisible ward spell shattering in shards coloured a brilliant array of colour. Shaking her head, she pushed herself up from where she had slammed into the wall. Her eyes landed on her forearm and she let out an annoyed hiss. Her tanned skin was slightly furred and spots were beginning to appear. Concentrating, she pushed the leopard away, ignoring the indignant yowl it gave within her mind.

"I would suggest, Weasley, that you stay far away from me, or any others like myself." She stood, locking sparking amber eyes on him. "Or else suffer the consequences."

"I'm not afraid of you. I'll simply deal with you like I did Evans."

Laura froze and spun around. The group she was with continued on, oblivious to the anger thrumming through her veins. "What!"

"Forget it, Laura. Get going."

"No!" She stalked up to Ron, angry eyes narrowing. "What did you do!"

"Showed him the only thing he's good for. Want a go?"

Mere growled and shot forward, pulling the smaller witch behind her. "Didn't think you swang that way."

He laughed, his wand a mere inch from her face. "_Reducto!_"

Amber eyes widened as the spell suffused the wand, tendrils of magic shooting from the walls about them, binding the spell to its exit point. "Huh. Guess Hogwarts doesn't take too kindly to your actions." She stepped forward, batting the wand away. "Watch how you act around us. All of us are protected by an Heir to this school, it would do you well to stay out of our way!"

She spun and ushered Laura from the room, pausing thoughtfully by the door. "And just so you understand…" She pulled her wand out and flicked it, a barrage of spells slamming into the group of Gryffindor's. She was surprised when a bluish shield sprang up around Daniel, who blinked in confusion, raising a hand to touch the defensive magic. She recognised the shield, because every Durmstrang student in Hogwarts was protected by it. It kept them safe from seriously dangerous spells when they were cast in a cowardly fashion. And it was part of the reason why Harry frequently dropped his guard.

Leaving her sanctuary, Mere grumbled about the loss of Durmstrang's own Clock Tower. It was much more beautiful than the one here, though it would have sufficed had the stupid Gryffindor's not invaded it. Magic swirled beside her and Ferio purred as he rubbed against her leg as they walked.

"Hello, Ferio. Had a nice hunt lately?"

_**Mostly. This forest lacks my usual prey.**_The small wings grew until they spanned several feet. The Cutherian flicked its tail. _**Mistresses Alpha has joined me more than once, though in the last few days he has spent entire nights there.**_

"Hmm. I was wondering about that. He doesn't seem to be taking this very well, but he refuses to speak to us."

_**What of the Alpha's Mate? Has he been informed?**_

Mere blinked. "Laura?"

The witch frowned. "Yes?"

"Has your Lord been advised of what occurred a few days ago?"

The girl shook her head, hazel eyes glimmering with a burning rage. "No. Harry has forbidden us from speaking of it. My Lord is rather concerned as to why he has been unable to contact him."

Mere frowned. "Harry has been refusing the link? I wasn't aware of this."

_**Phanta spoke of her concern over the Alpha's behaviour. He has become increasingly jittery. His refusal to attend classes has solidified the fact that this is becoming a larger problem.**_

Silently agreeing with her familiar, she followed Laura through the winding halls of Hogwarts. The witch was probably the youngest she knew of who bore the Mark of the Dark Lord. Though, Tom had been careful to not associate them with his Death Eaters. For starters, the Mark was different, that of a Falcon rather than a skull and snake. She was one of a select group of individuals chosen by Tom to protect Harry when he could not. Namely while they were at school.

Harry tended to drift off while in the sanctuary of Durmstrang, his guard lowered and his defences at a minimum. Of course, his mental barriers were always up full force; Durmstrang turned out students talented in Legilimency like it was as common as the ability to fly a broom. But here in Hogwarts, he was on such a high alert, that his senses were stretched to breaking point. Not to mention the fact his magic was woven around each student, to either alert him to their situation or protect them from attack. It was wearing on him, and the altercation with Ron hadn't helped any.

The amount of silver that had flooded his system was enough to _kill_ any one of the remaining members of their pack. The only reason Harry survived was that his Hecatamus blood would not allow him to die unless his mate died first, or the bond was removed. It was a godsend, really. Unless one counted the fact that Harry was blaming himself for what had happened. And that was why his magic had frozen his core, in an effort to punish himself.

She watched as Laura paced before a bare wall. Three times she passed it before a large oak door shimmered into being. "Room of Requirement?"

The witch nodded. "Harry decided this was the best place to hold meetings of any sort. He claims that--."

"That Hogwarts can protect us from the prying eyes of Dumbledore." Harry raised an eyebrow as the door swung open. "And what the hell have you been doing?"

Mere glared at him. "I should ask you the same thing!" Stalking passed him, she took in the twenty-seven students within the room. The pack was there, along with Tom's Circle.

Harry blinked as the door shut softly. "What have I done this time?"

Growling, she spun and slammed him into the door. "Why won't you talk about it!"

Harry froze, a tendril of fear and shame creeping into sparking emerald eyes. He jerked his body from her grasp. "Because I choose not to!"

"You can't keep doing that!"

He growled, "Why not? Is it not my decision?"

"No! You are putting yourself in danger, and sending that fool after us!"

In a smooth flash of magic, a sleek black wolf took the place of Harry. He looked up at her with begging eyes, a high-pitched whine echoing about the room. Phanta gave a coo from her perch on the back of an empty chair. The wolf padded over and curled up in front of the fire, emerald and gold eyes filled with pain.

One of the Circle members, a violet eyed wizard, sighed. "Our Lord has expressed a desire to meet and pry the information from Harry, but it appears that the Guild Council is more interested in learning of the information first. They have forbidden it."

Mere kneeled beside Harry, petting the velvety soft fur on his head. "I am so sorry, Harry. This is not your fault; you should not be doing this. We are here to protect you, yet you are defending every one of us instead." She leaned forward and placed her forehead against the top of his head. "I am sorry, my brother. I failed to defend you when your back was turned."

Magic touched and slithered along her skin and Harry wrapped arms around her. "It is not your fault, Mere. But I cannot talk of this."

"Why?"

He sighed, pulling back to look at sad amber eyes. "The Council requires the first hand knowledge before everyone else. I'll be going to a meeting tomorrow night."

"Have you spoken to Tom?"

He shook his head. "No, not since it happened. Mere, he…he was trying to get to me and it made it worse. How can I explain that to him?"

The lost look on Harry's face was something she had never before seen, and it scared her. He had always been sure of his actions, though she had learned that each step was carefully planned and had been that way since his childhood. "Perhaps you can simply tell him what happened. 'The truth always comes with time.'"

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Are you quoting me again?"

She smirked, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Perhaps."

The rest of the meeting was spent laying around the comfortable room Hogwarts had given them, which looked surprisingly similar to their old Social Rooms back at Durmstrang. Harry remained on the floor before the fire, curled up with his head in Mere's lap. Ferio and Phanta had commandeered his empty chair, watching them with alert eyes.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Laura grinned at Darren and Karl as they stood in the empty Gryffindor Common Room. In the grey light of the early morn, the room was much more welcoming with the shadows calming the vibrant red and gold colour scheme. The moon was nearing its full phase and they could all feel their Were halves stirring more than usual. Surprisingly, tonight's escapade was calming them somewhat.

In their hands, they each held a small black and purple velvet bag. Bottomless and stronger than the toughest Dragon hide, anything could be placed within and it could neither get out nor be destroyed. As they moved towards their respective staircases, they began to shake the bags vigorously, aggravating whatever it was that was trapped within. Small, high-pitched voices squeaked in indignation, but they ignored them as they continued to move along.

Laura stopped just before the seven doors that separated each year of girls from one another. Smirking she gave the bag another shake before setting it on the ground and placing a Timing Charm upon it. Pointing her wand at each door, she repeated the spell, charming each door to open just as the bag would release its captives. Stepping back, she moved halfway down the stairs, before spinning and flicking her wand, sealing the fates of the students behind a ward spell.

As she waited in the Common Room, snickers drifted down the stairs as Darren and Karl returned, large grins on their faces. "I suppose the boys are in for Hell?"

Karl wrapped his arms around her. "Little Laura, you have no idea."

Darren simply gave a mock bow. "I believe we have more Fire ones than you."

"Oh my!" She laughed softly. "I almost feel sorry for them...almost…well, maybe not really."

Snorting with laughter, the three left the tower and made their way down to the Hufflepuff dorms, determined to drag Harry, Marci and the petite sized Louie Flaiq. Strolling into the Common Room they gave the early risers an impish grin and continued up the stairs to Marci and Darren's dorm. Karl broke off and entered through a separate door to collect Louie.

When they entered, Darren cracked up laughing at the sight he was greeted with. It seemed like the pranking had already begun.

Harry was blinking owlishly at the sight before him, namely his familiar Phanta with the colouring and feathers of Marci's phoenix, Solisa. The phoenix looked none too pleased with the silver scales she was suddenly covered in.

Marci sighed and turned to them, waving sleepily. "Apparently Draco Malfoy thought this would be amusing."

"He made her feathery."

Laura snorted as Harry continued to stare at Phanta who was hissing angrily at him. "Let me guess, she wants back?"

The raven-haired werewolf nodded slowly. "Yeah, only…he made her _feathery_."

Louie yawned widely as he came in from the fifth year dorms. Blue-grey eyes blinked sleepily, before he stopped several feet short of the bed he was aiming for. Slowly, he turned and his mouth fell open at the two familiars. "Wha…what happened?"

Marci looked up from where she had been attempting to soothe the irate phoenix. "Draco thought this was a grand idea. I suppose we'll have to ask him what he did. It looks like Harry is more interested in staring, than helping."

"Marci…_he made her feathery_."

She sighed. "Yes, Harry, I can see that. Did you miss the fact that Solisa is scaly?"

In a flash, the emerald eyes were fixed on the strange sight of a silver scaled phoenix. "_Odd_."

Karl shook his head. "I wonder if he aimed the prank at all of our familiars?"

Darren's eyes widened. "Oh no. No, no, no! If he did that then…"

An angry growl broke through the room and a sleek panther like cat stepped out of a shadow. "_I am feathered!_"

All eyes turned onto the Hell Cat, who was indeed covered completely in shimmery, gold feathers. "Oh my." Marci shook her head. "This does not bode well."

Darren cautiously took a step closer to his familiar, only to have it hiss and drop into a crouch. He held his hands up, palms out. "Okay, okay. I'm not moving. How's about we go down to breakfast? Hmm?"

"If I find that any of you has caused this…condition, I promise, my wrath will be great!"

"And no one doubts that Merynes. Food now?"

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Dumbledore frowned down at the ancient scroll spread out over his desk. The images shifted and moved away as his finger traced over a single line _Ad frango a Hecatamae vinculum _(to break a Hecatamae bond). Absently he cast a translating spell over the Latin text, having no patience to do it himself.

_The Bond between Hecatamae and their Mates is strong enough to keep the Submissive, which is always the Hecatamae, alive even through a mortal wound or devastating curse/sickness. Unless the Dominant, the human blooded being, dies, no harm can befall them. At the same time, the Mate is protected by the strongest magic a Hecatamae could possibly conjure from the world around them. As they appear to draw power into their core, which keeps them at a constant danger level as their abilities increase with the magic pouring in, this then transfers through the Link they share and strengthens the Defensive Shield surrounding the Mate._

_Hecatama, the female of the species, have a significantly smaller Core than their male counterparts. However, their Wings, usually resembling an eagle's wing, are well developed from birth and have the ability to collect Raw Energy and transfer that into their spells. The Hecatamus, being the male, has a Core several times larger than the most powerful Wizarding Core discovered thus far. Their Wings are large enough for flight and resemble a Dragon's Wing, but with the leathery folds having a shimmery property. They are known to be incredibly gifted at tapping into Magical Structures, particularly if those buildings have a partially Sentient being within them, as a result of magical influence._

_If one was to seek to break the bond between a Hecatamae and their Mate, they must be aware of the risks involved. Of the dozens of cases, only two have ever been witnessed by the Breaker to the bitter, or bright, end. _

_The incantation..._(and here there was a severe burn mark)_ should only be used in a time of emergency, where the Mate's death is required for the good of the world. It should not be used to control, or weaken, a Hecatamae, as they will loose what little control they have._

_The first case involved a Hecatama whose Mate ran a Slave Trading business, using muggle children who were sold to Wizarding Families. The Hecatama, named Jiloqa, was confined to a cage. The metal bars were spelled to constantly run with sparking electricity, which causes severe disruptions in the beings ability to control Magic. Jiloqa reacted favourably to the breaking of her Bond, and those involved were rewarded with a wealth of riches that neither depleted nor enlarged._

_The second, and infinitely the more well known of the cases, involved a Hecatamus whose Mate was a particularly powerful Wizard. During this time, male/male relationships were not looked on favourably, and the Breaker was given the consent from the civilians to remove the Bond. When the Bond was removed, the Wizard was imprisoned deep underground where the Hecatamus, named Keronqa, could have no hope of reaching him. Keronqa reacted badly to the breaking of his Bond. The day after his Mate's imprisonment, the Breaker and all those involved were found brutally murdered. There were no weapons used, as a Hecatamae does not need to be near the victim to kill. The towns and surrounding farms were destroyed in a frightening thunderstorm that killed all and any life._

_It is widely believed that should one force the breaking of a Bond, they shall need to wear an amulet of pure metal, infused with the Thunder Stone, a precious stone so rare that only two have been found to date. This will cause the amulet to release electrical pulses should an Unbonded Hecatamae touch the wearer._

Dumbledore tapped his finger on the desk thoughtfully. He would need to do more research. The incantation needed to be discovered. A few years ago, the Research sector of the Ministry was rumoured to have been researching Hecatamae. Perhaps the records, or even those involved were still in existence.

With a wry smile, he popped a Lemon Drop into his mouth.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

As the Great Hall continued to fill, Harry yawned widely, ignoring the grumpy looks the familiars were throwing at their Masters. So far Harry hadn't wanted to change the spell, and Draco had yet to emerge from the Dungeons. The thirty or so creatures were disgruntled, angry, hurt and incredibly sarcastic and destructive. Phanta and Merynes had utterly destroyed the Gryffindor table and Harry and Darren had been forced to repair it. Several times.

The Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's shot the Durmstrang students odd looks, while the Slytherin's, when they finally arrived, looked amused to see only Laura, Darren, Karl, Harry and Ginny sitting at Gryffindor table. Ginny was confused as to why her housemates were late, and had badgered Laura until he witch had spelled her mouth shut.

There was a crash somewhere in the distance. Several high-pitched screams and a bang. A massive heatwave rolled through the castle to meet with freezing fog. Vines crept over anything that stayed still longer than two seconds and water gushed from the cracks in the stone. Another bang and the doors flung open, the missing members of Gryffindor House screaming as they ran into the Hall. Small Imps followed them; chattering angrily and randomly picking a student up off the ground before letting them fall back down.

Laura, Darren and Karl snickered as Ron ran past, his own scream so high pitched and girly that Harry could only sit and blink in shock. The three gave up when the sixth year Prefects were suspended in mid-air and stripped naked, with a large group of Imps dancing and singing as they painted their bodies in magic. A loud thud sounded and the Hall was shocked silent as Dumbledore's behind suddenly turned into a giant Bee thorax, complete with rubber stinger.

Harry blinked. "Did someone start the Prank War early?"

Somewhere, in the air above the stunned students, came a tiny voice, "Whippee!"

**A/N:** Like I said, I can't seem to come up with funny pranks, let alone describe them half the time.


	17. Making Up And Obliviations

**A/N:** I told you guys this chapter was coming, and I promised more Tom, didn't I?

**Chapter Seventeen— Making Up And Obliviations**

Hermione had tried, and failed dramatically, to convince the Durmstrang students to get rid of the Imps who were still terrorising the Gryffindor's well into the first class of the day. Snape had seemed amused as a bluish shield sprang up around him, defending him from the magic that flew about his classroom. He was content to sit back and watch as the students from his most hated House were turned into screaming girls.

She sighed and continued on down the corridor until she stepped out into the crisp winter air. The snow was even deeper than before and one could not trudge through it. You had to shuffle, slowly, as you froze. A whinny caused her to frown and turn to look at the lake. She paused and her mouth fell open.

Harry, and several of his classmates, were thundering down the bank on the back of the pegasi, heading straight for the water. She gasped and ran towards them, shouting frantically, "No! Don't go near it! The Giant Squ--!"

The pegasi opened their wings and gracefully glided over the surface of the water. Almost instantly, a tentacle shot out and the creature banked sharply away. She blinked as she realised that it was a game, a game that they all seemed to be enjoying if the laughs floating over on the wind was proof. Huffing, the witch continued down to the lake, grumbling about the snow inside her boots and the fact that her mad dash had resulted in a grand total of three metres.

"Harry James Evans! Get down here now!"

Harry's Pegasus, a beautiful black stallion, snorted and tossed its head as Harry directed it back towards the bank. The large wings beated through the air, throwing sand, dirt and twigs in Hermione's direction. Holding back his laugh, Harry said, "Sorry about that. We've been neglecting them a little."

She glared darkly at him. "You should not go near the lake! The Giant Squid could catch any one of you, though I doubt you're even going to listen to my advice." Taking a deep breath, she pointed back towards the castle, still gazing up at him. "Can you at least get rid of those damn Imps? They're still terrorising the Gryffindor's."

Harry laughed, a light, musical sound she hadn't heard for days. "I didn't set the prank and those Imps are only going to listen to those who did. It took me an hour just to get our familiars back to normal."

Hermione frowned. "Oh. I thought that that was planned."

"Nope. I think Phanta actually insulted me about one hundred and seventy two times, with each one ending with 'Master'."

The Ravenclaw blinked, shaking her head. "Who set the prank? The one with the Imps, I mean."

He shrugged. "If I had to guess, I'd say Darren had something to do with it. The Prank War usually starts after…next week, so if anyone thought it would amuse me to begin early, he would have had a hand in it."

She nodded, glancing over the lake and spotted Darren on a palomino Pegasus. She mentally filed his reference to himself away for inspection when she had the time to question it. "What about Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Harry laughed, his emerald eyes sparkling with mirth. "That? Oh, Merlin, that was funny! I'd have to say someone set their familiar up with it, none of us like Dumbledore very much. Or maybe that's Bumbledore…"

Shaking her head, Hermione smiled softly. "It's good to see you happy again, let alone outside of Hufflepuff."

A sad smile overcame the bubbly expression and Harry leaned forward, folding his arms over the neck of the Pegasus and leaning his cheek on them. "I never said I was happy. I'm so far from home, from the safety I've gotten used to. And after what Weasley did…"

She frowned. "What did he do? He's been bragging about teaching you your place for days. Not to mention the fact that Potter has taken to defending you all of a sudden."

"Never mind what he did." Harry waved a hand lazily in the air. "But when did Dan…niel start that?"

Filing the odd pause in his brother's name, and the dark look at Ron's actions, away for inspection later, she raised an eyebrow. "About three, maybe four days ago. Why?"

He frowned slightly. "Odd. I would have expected it a couple of days ago, but that long?" He shrugged, sitting back up. "Wanna come for a ride?"

"What?"

"A ride. You know, in the air, on the back of Kerans here." He patted the neck of the stallion, which snorted and stomped his right rear hoof.

"Um…is it safe?"

Harry grinned at her, holding his arm out to help pull her up, which was awkward when one considered the fact that a large feathery wing was in the way. "Trust me, he won't let us fall, and I wouldn't let you either for that matter. Kerans is the familiar of one of the fifth years, Sarah Kane, and is the only one who doesn't go into the castle. For obvious reasons." He turned the Pegasus back towards the lake, easing them into a slow trot. "She can't ride too well at the moment, a second year Gryffindor stuffed up the hex he was cursing at her and left her legs numb."

"Oh my god! Is she okay?" Hermione wrapped her arms around his middle, gripping the edges of the soft velvet robe he wore.

"Yeah, Marci is helping her get them back into working order. But Kerans was a little jumpy. I think I was the only one allowed near him. So, I'm giving him a good exercise."

The witch nodded, eyes wide as the stallion bunched his muscles and leaped into the air, wings snapping open and beating down as they lifted into the sky. "Eep!"

Harry laughed and it vibrated through her. "This is freedom, Mione!"

She had to admit; it was exhilarating being up there, feeling the powerful creature beneath her move with such ease through the air. But she was distinctly aware of the feel of both hard muscle and a strange flexible metal beneath her. As they glided in a circle, she asked, "Harry? The armour on Kerans…is it, hard or soft?"

Harry frowned, letting go of the silver reigns and turning his head to look at her. "You know about the armour?"

"Well, yes, ever since the first day…shouldn't you be holding on to those?"

"It's fine." He waved off her concern over his control of the creature. "The armour is a living part of them. Battle Pegasi, very rare in our grand world, but protected in Bulgaria. It's both metal and flesh, melded together."

A short time later, all of the pegasi were rubbed down, their feathers carefully groomed, and were replaced inside the paddock Hagrid had built. The half-giant grinned and waved enthusiastically as the Durmstrang students made their way back to the castle. Hermione was freezing and was shivering almost constantly. She was sure she had a cold now.

Harry flicked his fingers and she was warmed by a permanent warming charm placed on her cloak. "Better?"

She nodded, sticking her gloved hands under her arms. "Much, thankyou."

"Anytime." He frowned, biting his lip. "Are you still coming tonight?"

"For that meeting, or class, thing?"

"Yeah, that."

She gave him a scathing glare. "Of course I am! Think you can get out of teaching me so easily?"

"Testing, Hermione, I'll be testing you." He pushed his bangs away from his eyes, sighing. "But I'll be late. There's some things I have to attend to…"

"You're leaving the grounds?"

He raised an eyebrow at her shocked expression. "Yeah. That was one thing Fudge and Dumbledore couldn't steal from us. Some of the students have creature blood, which means Mates. Contact is sort of needed."

"And I suppose that includes yourself." At his questioning look, she continued, "I overheard Weasley telling some other boys that you had creature blood. They were trying to guess who your Mate was, but if you're leaving school grounds, I suppose that means it isn't a student."

"No," he laughed. "Not a student. He used to be one, but that was a long time ago."

"A mature aged man? Curious."

"Never really found guys my own age appealing," Harry mused.

Hermione gave him a smile. "Have you always liked males? Not that I'm saying it's bad or anything."

"Yep, for as long as I can remember. No offence, but girls just don't ring my bell."

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Grey scowled as he entered the Council chambers. The voice of both Fate and Balance whispered in his mind and he pushed them away, irritation rising fast. Dumbledore and James had both tried to stop him from going, claiming that it wasn't safe outside the wards. Ha! More like it wasn't safe inside the wards. And the bloody old fool had placed a tracking charm on him after he said he was visiting his mate.

Grumbling under his breath, he climbed the hidden staircase and took his seat at the Assassins Guilds box. Hood drawn up, and veil carefully placed, only his fiercely burning emerald eyes showed, glaring down at the ground before him.

Fate was suddenly whispering in his mind, "_Calm yourself, young one._"

He scowled.

"_There will be time for revenge, but take no pleasure._"

And of course, Balance just had to get in on the fun! He sighed. The two beings had never spoken to him before, and now was the first time he had heard the musical voices for himself. He knew for a fact that the Angels and Demons heard the voices; voices of the only two remaining deities the Hecatamae had ever looked to. And now he was hearing them.

He watched passively as the Council filed in to the room, each seating themselves calmly, though he could smell their apprehension. He nodded as Genna sat beside him. "Hey."

Violet eyes glanced over his form, though the charcoal grey cloak hid anything that may have told of his current position. "Hey yourself. You doing a report after this?"

"Yeah," he said softly, eyes scanning the room. "Whose petitioning today?"

"Dumbledore again. We think it might have to do with you, or his Order."

Grey stiffened. "Wonderful."

Kely's blue eyes latched onto him as footsteps sounded in the hallway leading to the Exitus Door, the door that changed to allow you to exit back to where you left from. Dumbledore strode into the room wearing sunshine yellow robes with odd orange crescent moons floating around. Grey had to bite back a snort as Gabriel visibly blanched at the fashion sense of the old wizard.

"Albus Dumbledore," Corsis hissed, his fire red eyes blazing in annoyance. "What is it that you need from this Council that requires such a…sharp petition notice?"

Dumbledore straightened his robes and turned twinkling blue eyes on the Demon. "My boy," He ignored the way the black and red wings twitched. "I am here to ask if we have your alliance in the war."

Kely frowned. "We told you at the last petition that we would decide on our stance after viewing the situation."

"And yet, you have sent a Healer to spy on me within my own school."

The two Healers shifted uncomfortably. Qurias sighed, his voice coming out soft as he spoke, "We did not wish to send the young Healer, and it was not our intention. But when Durmstrang was attacked, it was convenient to ask it of her. But it was not intended to be seen as Spying on you or yours."

Beltheir cast a glance at Grey, his dark eyes worried. "Nevertheless, we have heard some worrying things about your actions regarding those of Durmstrang."

"I have done nothing but that which benefits the Light. Those children are so enthralled by the Dark. There is even a hybrid Hecatamus with werewolf blood."

Cole leaned forward. "And what does that matter in the grand scheme of things?"

"He is biased, and most likely is already in the service of the Dark Lord." Dumbledore glanced at the two Assassins. "In fact, I would like to request a Contract be placed on him."

Grey froze, emerald eyes widening. He cleared his throat, pushing away the surprise and worry. "A Contract cannot simply be requested, Dumbledore. There must be a clear reason behind it."

"Are you saying that the Assassins Guild will not accept this Contract?"

Genna narrowed her eyes. "We say neither yes nor no. But we have not heard of anything terrible that he has done to warrant such a thing."

"Indeed," Kely tilted her head to the side. "But we have heard of a terrible act that occurred between the Hecatamus and one of your own students."

Grey frowned, he had told none of them yet. Though it didn't surprise him that they knew.

Dumbledore waved a gnarled hand through the air. "Nothing happened that is of any consequence."

The Courtesans stiffened. Sali narrowed his golden eyes. "Rape is not an offence in your eyes?"

"From both accounts, it was consensual."

Magic suddenly whipped around the room, throwing it into a pitch-black darkness. Genna blindly reached out and grabbed hold of Grey. He was shaking, anger and shame radiating off of him like a heat wave. Leaning closer, she whispered, "Grey, calm down. You need to control yourself. Remember, they all get what's coming to them."

Grey shook himself, reciting the spell his mother used to use over and over in his mind. Slowly, but surely, the magic was sucked back into him. Eyes closed, he ignored the rest of the Council, who shifted nervously. Dumbledore peered up at him curiously and the Council worked to keep him from even beginning to think that Grey was little more than the Elemental he had first thought of him as.

Nori snarled at Dumbledore. "Consensual? We will speak to this Hecatamus and find out his own version of events. If he is Mated, then you will have broken more than one Law in the Council's eyes."

Gabriel lifted grey eyes and glared down at the wizard. "We will give you our answer, on the standing of this Council, in our own time, wizard. Now leave! Before we change our minds."

Dumbledore drew himself up taller. "If this Council does not give a decision by the time the Christmas Holidays begin, we will assume you are on the side of the Dark. Good evening." He turned and strode back down the corridor leaving the twenty-two members blinking in his wake.

"Well," Lonah said slowly. "That didn't go so well."

Haren snorted. "Well? Exactly what planet are you living on, my dear little Were?"

The wereleopard snarled. "One where idiots like yourself don't exist!"

"Oh? Really, now. And how far into your own twisted mind are you?"

Harry blinked, his body still thrumming with power. "Did I miss something?"

Genna shook her head. "One of the European Werepacks had an unfortunate incursion with a Demon clan. They've been arguing non-stop for the past week."

"Incursion?"

Fred pushed his hood back and shook his head. "Dumbledore had something to do with it, so don't worry so much."

George copied his twin, blue eyes tired and worn. "We have stuff to report as well. Are you okay, Grey? I feel so bad for leaving you. If I had known…"

"Stop." Grey raised a hand and shook his hood back. He pulled the veil down and sighed. "It wouldn't have mattered much. Your brother would have simply waited for another chance. He has information to hang over my head now, so he has the power."

The chamber fell silent. Kely frowned. "What information Grey? And what exactly happened?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "How much do you know?"

Gabriel's grey eyes bore into him. "We know that he raped you, and somehow managed to incapacitate you. But other than that we know very little."

Grey took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "He used a very old spell, one that's designed to stop an Hecatamae's ability to draw magic from their surroundings. It leaves a gap in our defences, too small for a major spell to harm us, but enough for someone to magic silver into the system."

Cole blanched. "What?"

"I suppose it was the only way to keep you from killing them." Nori mused. "But where would he have found such spells?"

The witch, Ashley, shook her head. "There aren't any books in existence that hold such information."

"What if we missed something?" Her counterpart, Jolik, frowned. "When the Head of Research was taken out, is it possible that they had stored their information elsewhere? Railes was a Muggleborn, after all. Don't they have ways of storing things indefinitely?"

Ashley nodded. "Yes, computers. Muggles have hard drives, memory devices to store information. They don't work near magic though, so it would be somewhere completely Muggle."

Kely cleared her throat. "Be that as it may, the fact is that Grey is obviously no longer entirely safe there."

Grey snorted. "Entirely. My dear Angel, I was never safe in Hogwarts."

Gabriel blinked. "Continue Grey. We need to know what happened."

Frowning, the emerald eyes darkened dangerously, more of Grey's Hecatamus nature drifting past the fully erected shields that protected them from the unnatural power of the creature. "What do you think happened? I was double dosed with enough silver to kill the entirety of the second largest werewolf pack, let alone any member of my own. I was _raped_, not once, not twice, but _four_ times before I finally passed out." He growled softly, gold leaking into the swirling emerald irises. "My _core_ was _frozen_ in retaliation for my inability to refuse the…_sexual_ aspect of the attack."

The chamber was silent a moment, before Kely tilted her head, eyes slightly unfocused. "Is there…something else, Grey?"

Grey sighed. "Yes. I request a Contract on one Ronald Bilius Weasley."

_Good, Little One,_ Fate whispered in his mind, _They will not refuse you._

Corsis blinked. "What?"

Gabriel shook his head, even as Kely copied him, clearing their minds from the influence of Fate and Balance. "It will be granted, Grey, and the Contract will be created and placed within your mission files."

Blue eyes blinked and pure white wings stretched a moment before Kely spoke again. "But we have one condition."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like it?"

The Angel smiled softly at him, sadness tingeing her brilliant eyes. "You have not spoken to your Mate, Grey."

He stiffened. "I cannot."

"You will, or the Contract will be forfeited." She leaned forward and peered over at him. "You must put aside this foolish belief you have. Your magic may have lashed out when he attempted to contact you, but it was not you who caused him to be unable to get to you."

Phillip nodded. "It would have been the spell. The research papers you gave us listed a variety of ways such a spell could affect both a bonded and unbonded Hecatamae. That was one eventuality discovered."

Grey swallowed. "But…what happened--."

"Was not your fault." Lonah's blue grey eyes glowed across from him. "Do not delude yourself, Grey. You are one of the strongest and most capable Assassins this Council has seen for a great many years, never mind your age. It is the restrictions of the mission that makes you appear so, but this attack was not the result of any weakness on your part."

"What if he doesn't want me?"

Grey's voice was so soft, that many of the members had to strain to hear it. The pain in that one sentence was astounding, even as his entire form slumped into his seat. The waves of unleashed power that he had unconsciously been giving off, in an effort to warn off anyone who posed a threat to him, suddenly died down and his multi-coloured aura turned a bleak grey.

The Master of Necromancy, Vero, sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, hazel eyes tired. "Your mate cannot hate you Grey, it is impossible. I know that you are aware of this, since it is you who taught us to understand those odd tendencies that make up your hybrid nature. Do not be foolish enough to play into the hands of both Dumbledore and his foolish minion."

"Vero is correct." The Herbology Master, Keris, nodded in agreement. "Your mate will understand what has happened, and your reasons for what has transpired between then and now."

Kely cleared her throat. "You will go, now, Grey, and visit your mate."

Phillip nodded. "Merrick will go with you, to ensure that any of his followers do not see or cause a problem for you."

Grey blinked, a sudden tenseness filling him as he unconsciously reached for the comfort of the link between him and Tom. His mate was worried, scared for him. "Okay."

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Even after having stepped into the small room thousands of times before, Harry had never entirely gotten used to the way his wolf self suddenly quieted down. The creature treated the Scottish castle, which was Tom's favourite home since Harry's own voice was softly touched by a lilting Scottish accent, as if it was its own den. Never mind the way Salazar and Rowena were always waiting to have a chitchat with him since he normally returned from missions via the same door. But this was different. His Hecatamus half was fidgety and nervous, and Godric and Helga were also occupying the two portraits by the door.

Godric gave him a jaunty wave, ignoring the icy blue glare that was being sent towards him. "'Lo, Harry!"

Salazar scowled, elbowing the invader of his portrait. "Fool! Can't you see he's worried?"

"Of course! That's why I'm being cheerful. Why make whatever it is worse?"

Helga shook her head, giving him a soft smile. "Whatever it is, don't worry so much over it, _kitarus_."

Harry blinked. He'd always liked Helga. She was the most misunderstand of the Founders, since most of the records regarding her had been destroyed. Because Helga, the true Head of Hufflepuff, was just like him. She was a Hecatama.

He gave a small nod of his head. "Hello, _serook_."

Rowena raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you did to Sal's Heir, I hope you don't intend on ever doing it again." She frowned at the sound of arguing from Salazar's portrait. "He was frantic. Came in her trying to use that door of yours, but he couldn't open it to find you. As far as I know, Helga never put in a ward to keep a Hecatamae's mate out."

"I didn't. I made sure that they would always have a route in if the need arose. Granted, Dumbledore could have changed them."

Harry shook his head, glancing out the corner of his eye at his escort. Merrick was an older Mage, well versed in history and all the beings and creatures of the world. With hazelnut coloured hair, peppered at the temples with grey, vibrant pale green eyes and softly tanned skin, he could be considered handsome. But Harry had always fel wary around the man. He had been far too close to Dia for his liking, and had a hard and angry feel to his aura.

With a sigh, Harry moved forward, pausing as his hand came in contact with the smooth wood of the door. His mind was whirring around, his two halves warring for dominance and his instincts were screaming _RUN_ and _STAY_ at the same time. Swallowing, he pushed the door open and slid into the room, not bothering to wait for Merrick. The corner of his lips tugged valiantly in an attempt at a smile. The various wolves peeked out from the trees on the walls; those from his own small pack crouched close together, while select members from his familial pack watched him carefully.

His emerald eyes landed on the slumped figure of his mate in one of the plush armchairs by the bed, hair mussed and Harry had such a sudden longing for Tom that he was forced to draw in a sharp breath. He ignored the frown Merrick threw his way, as brown eyes snapped up to meet his own. His eyes instantly lowered and he flinched visibly as Tom rose and took several steps towards him.

"Harry…?"

Merrick cleared his throat. "Mister Evans has something to say to you…sir. Not that I consider you anyone important, but we must keep our Allies."

Harry whipped around, his magic lashing out and slamming the man into the nearby wall. His eyes swirled gold, and his voice dropped into a low growl. "Don't you dare even _think_ to insult my mate!"

The Mage glared at him, even as he stalked the few steps between them. "You were never planning on telling him!"

Harry trembled as the thin shield surrounding his Hecatamus half cracked. Power suddenly spread through him, making his eyes glow bright and dark all at once. With a gasp, he lurched backwards. Strong arms wrapped around him, warmth spreading through him as he was pressed tightly against his mate. Panting, he mentally reached out and yanked at the black and gold strands of magic, pulling them back behind those precious defences.

"Harry?"

He stiffened, suddenly realising he was in Tom's arms. He didn't deserve to be comforted by his mate, didn't deserve anything. He twisted and turned, but the arms wrapped around him didn't yield to his struggles, not even when he slammed his foot down onto a bare foot. "…Tom, please…"

Confused, Tom let Harry slip out from his arms and watched as he turned around, slowly as if he was frightened. "Harry?"

"Yes?"

The emerald eyes glowed with a power that Tom had never seen before. He knew that Harry desperately shielded his Hecatamus half, to the point where the majority of his power was always being used. And he knew that if those shields broke, Harry's calm and patient demeanour would vanish and be smothered by the fear and anger he surely felt whenever surrounded by wizards. Too much had been done in the past for him to forgive all the wrongs done to his people.

"What is going on?"

Harry blinked and his entire form shimmered as Tom forced his own magic down their link, repairing what he could of the damage to the shields. Harry shuddered, drawing in a shaky breath, before he took a single step closer. "Tom…I…"

Merrick huffed, even as he struggled to undo the magical bonds keeping him against the wall. "Mister Evans was raped. By a mere wizard."

Emerald fire flashed, but it was the sudden ruby red in Tom's eyes that had the Mage shocked. He had known this was the Dark Lord, but he had only ever seen the man with ordinary brown eyes, the pupils only ever holding a hint of crimson. But now they bled and there was such rage in them that he feared for his own life.

"What?!"

Harry frowned, even as Tom's magic healed his shields, he was still annoyed at the intrusion. He turned burning eyes on the Mage, revelling in the frightened wide eyes. Turning back, he was suddenly hit with a wave of shame and a chill swept through him. Stumbling, he clutched onto the warm arms that would always catch him should he fall.

Tom held Harry close, eyes closed as he tried to keep the anger at bay. "What happened Harry? And please, please don't lie to me."

Harry drew another shaky breath. "Weasley. He…somehow he got hold of spells, spells I can't fight. Old ones that shouldn't be anywhere for him to find. I could have sworn I destroyed all the incantations…"

"Hecatamae based spells?" At Harry's small nod, he swore. "Fuck!" He pulled back a little and looked down into glowing emerald orbs. "You can't go back there. I don't care about some fucking mission to determine whether or not a Light Lord cares for some stupid balance. I will not have you in that kind of danger!"

Harry nodded, his body sagging. "I have no problem with that. But the pack…"

"Will be taken out as well."

Merrick frowned. "You cannot make that decision, no matter who you are. The mission will go ahead and Grey's orders still stand."

Tom tensed. "I can do whatever the hell I want, Mage. You can't stop me from protecting him."

Harry sighed and pressed his face against Tom's neck, breathing deep and inhaling the one smell that would always comfort him. Winter breezes and cinnamon. He had no wish to return to Hogwarts, but he knew without a doubt that this was one mission he couldn't weasel out of. Closing his eyes, he reached out and slowly let the shield he'd placed around their link fall. Tom had managed to get past it, at least enough to help him, so there really was no point in trying to keep him out.

Merrick narrowed his eyes at the tendril of magic that entwined about the pair. He'd been much more comfortable with them being separated. "I am a Mage, you are nothing more than a wizard. What makes you think that you can keep me from stopping you? If I let you pull Grey from Hogwarts, you put the Council in jeopardy."

Red eyes narrowed, the small circle of brown retreating from the edges. "A wizard? You think me nothing more than a wizard?"

Harry stepped back, out of the comfort of his mate's arms and turned to face Merrick. "You obviously don't know much about Hecatamae and their Mates, do you?" He flicked his wrist and his aura swept into being, bringing Tom's with it. A swirl of colours, joining and dancing around each other, and on Harry's back, slightly raised, was a pair of blood red wings, the slight shimmery quality adding to the show. "I bound my life to Tom, and in return he keeps me from killing myself. So I give him at least a part of my own power. He is no more a wizard than I am."

The Mage scoffed, raising his hand and moving it in a delicate flourish. A spell shot past Harry at such a speed that he couldn't reach out and change it before it engulfed Tom, just as he raised his wand. Harry turned and watched as the light faded and Tom was left blinking blindly.

"What did you do?"

Merrick looked at the Hecatamus, whose wings had flared out, curving around his shoulders. "He can't remove you from Hogwarts. This is a necessary measure."

Tom blinked. "What happened?"

"Grey has injured himself in a Quidditch practice, nothing much to worry about, but he was deeply embarrassed that a wizard was able to beat him in the practice match. He's sorry, of course, for blocking you out."

Tom frowned, the red vanished in a blink and his warm brown eyes focused on Harry. There was a disbelieving light in them, and confusion, but Harry was too busy seething with anger at Merrick to do much to help his mate. "Harry?"

"I'm fine now, Tom."

"Okay…are you sure that was it?"

"Yes. Now, I must be getting Grey back to Hogwarts, before he is missed."

Again, Tom frowned. Harry sighed and folded his wings against his back, barely noticing as they vanished and his aura faded away. He stepped forward and, after yelling at himself for his foolish thoughts, placed a soft kiss on Tom's cheek. His lips brushed over the soft skin, as he whispered, "I'll talk to you, explain it. But don't believe him, please."

The Mage gave a nod to Tom and followed him out. When the door closed and locked behind them, Harry bit out angrily, "How dare you tamper with his mind!"

Merrick sneered down at the Assassin. "He was going to stop you from returning. Isn't the mission more important than any fuck--."

Harry flicked his wrist, the Nexus Blade landing in his palm from its sheath, before spinning and slamming the Mage into the wall. He held the sharp, black blade against his throat, pushing it slightly against the skin. "Don't you dare insinuate that I care so little for my mission! I am risking _everything_ to complete it!" His emerald eyes sparked and glowed, gold swirling slowly. "And don't you dare even think to insult my mate! Or I promise you won't live to regret it."

Merrick glared at him, even though the Mage was clearly frightened. "Why don't I just tell the Council that their precious Assassin, the perfect Grey Shadow, has fallen to the Dark?"

"The Council know of my standing. The only Assassin to ever refuse a side. I stand in the middle. I have survived the advances of both the Light and the Dark to stand strongly by my own beliefs. Can you say the same, Mage?" He hissed angrily. "Or is the Light too intoxicating for you to resist?"

"I stand where ever I am of more use! You are nothing more than the _fuck toy_ of the Dark Lord, the _Leader of the Dark_!" He stiffened when the blade pressed harder, the slow warm trickle of blood sliding down his neck. "And more, you were beaten by a mere wizard. Some powerful being you turned out to be. Perhaps the wizards of old were right, Hecatamae aren't much more than wandless Veela, nothing more than an animal. So why don't you run and hide? Shield yourself from the world while you hide behind your insane mate!"

Harry hissed angrily, his body shaking in fury. "Oh aren't you grand, Mage? I'd like to see you be dodging those spells! Oh, but wait! You're human! They don't affect your kind; they're designed for mine! They don't require power, or ability, let alone a sliver of intelligence! Just a wand and a voice!"

The emerald eyes flashed and Merrick had the distinct feeling that Harry's two halves were fighting for dominance. "You have to return to the school."

"Perhaps, but I might just pay the Angels and Demon a visit. It's about time Durmstrang was given permission to fight back." He leaned forward, the blade biting just a little more. "Be careful of your choices, Merrick, or you will meet your end at my hands!"

He hissed out a curse in a tongue Merrick recognised as the Hecatamae's language before spinning and wrenching the Exitus Door open, stepping through it. He gasped, before a shaking hand rose to touch the shallow cut to this throat. He was well aware of the fact that Harry had struggled to leave him alive then, and he knew next time he wouldn't be so lenient. Like everyone, he knew that the Assassin accepted targets and missions from both sides of the war, but if the Balance required them to live, he simply removed them for the time being.

"You know, you shouldn't piss him off. He may just decide to kill you for his own pleasure."

Merrick looked to his right, to see a portrait of Salazar Slytherin scowling at him. "I know that."

"Then don't be a fool."

Sneering at the portrait, Merrick opened the door and strode through it. He was no fool!

**A/N:** wow, I think this is my longest so far. 5,900 and something words, and all story. Anywhoo, I'm working on yet another fic, which seems to be moving along faster than **The Fey Courtesan**. I seem to have developed a fascination for fics that start in First Year and continue through. My muse is adamant that I try my hand at it. What I was wondering though, was if anyone knew what nationality **Blaise Zabini** is, the only thing I can find in the books is that he's dark skinned. But that could mean seriously tanned, dark olive, or African-like dark.

I promise it won't take up much time though, and I've written another chapter and a half for this story. Oh, and I love you guys! Cyber cookies to all!


	18. The Consequences of Actions

**A/N:** There's a fair bit of scene changing in this chapter, sorry if it gets annoying/confusing. And it seems as if my chapters keep getting longer on a more regular basis. Sorry it took so long to update, life seems to be creeping up on me more and more. Work has some pretty weird ideas on security and I'm getting more shifts which equals more money…but also equals less time to write… And you guys rock by the way. I've never gotten so many reviews for one chapter! And you all made me grin and beam at my computer, which convince my mum I was going insane.

Thanks to everyone who answered my question about **Blaise Zabini**. Everyone agreed on him being at least related to someone Italian, due to his name, which I thought might be the case, since most fics have him down as such. There was only one person who suggested otherwise, so I thought I might just twist and mould him as I see fit, since there is so little to know about him. I'm gonna just make his mum Italian, so he has her surname, his biological father African, and the first father he knew French. Of course, we all know that his step fathers tend to die an awful lot… So, thank you to you all for your kind help!

Also, anyone who helped will be named and thanked when I post the fic, which could be soon, possibly after I post this. Only, I can't decide whether or not to have it all as one fic, or a series as I work through Harry's seven years of school…I'm leaning towards one, because then I can't forget to update….

Ah, and so now we get to where Harry's resolve snaps…

**Chapter Eighteen—The Consequences Of Actions**

Harry stepped through the door and back into the circular room the Room of Requirement had created for him. When the door closed, he slipped the Nexus Blade back into its sheath, all his strength leaving him suddenly. With a sob he sank to the ground, onto his hands and knees as he fought down the sudden panic that was overwhelming him. He was an Assassin, damnit! He could handle one foolish Mage and one stupid Gryffindor!

"Harry?"

His head snapped up to see Mere cautiously approaching him. When she saw the pain in his eyes she crouched down beside him. "I would have thought Tom would refuse to let you return…"

"He did." Harry's voice was strangely flat. "Merrick obliviated him. Told him I was injured in Quidditch."

She frowned, anger and annoyance flashing in amber eyes. "Harry, I don't think we, or you for that matter, can do all this anymore. Why won't the Council let us leave?" She watched as he stood and turned back to the Exitus Door, his hand laying on the wood as it morphed into a half Dead Wood and Holy door. "Harry?"

"Don't. I'm going to the Angels and Demons, and I'm getting them to revoke their orders. We're going to finish this. But it's about time that Durmstrang was allowed to fight back."

"Harry, please, tell me what happened."

He looked up at her, a fire blazing in his emerald eyes. "Dumbledore wants our allegiance before Christmas, or he declares the Guilds on the side of the Dark."

"But the Council is supporting the Dark."

"Yes, but it doesn't mean we're on that side. It just means that we aren't going to cause them so much trouble in the long run." He sighed and shook his head. "But Dumbledore can make life hell for anyone associated with the Guilds. Healers, Mages, Masters, Courtesans all of them will loose jobs and any social standings they've gained. Assassins and Spies aren't going to care; they're not likely to find us. The Angels, Demons, Vampires and Werefolk don't need to worry cause no one wants us around anyway, do they? And the Wichards won't even be touched…"

She blinked. "Oh. But how can we be sure of what he's planning? He's manipulative, we know that, and he could have found the Twins."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You. Lonah is well known as your cousin and the one who turned you. If you were to tell him that Grey Shadow was going to be attacking an Order member…"

"He might let me in as his own spy. Harry, that's brilliant!"

He gave her a strained smile. "I'm going to get us permission to fight back. I should be back in under an hour. Keep them safe, Mere."

"I will, Harry."

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Kely stretched languidly, her blue eyes closing in content as her white wings wrapped her in soft feathers. She ignored the childish bickering of Gabriel, Corsis and Haren as they argued over the merits of white or milk chocolate. Her eyes snapped back open though, as the Exitus Door installed in one side of the large room banged open and let a furious Harry Evans in.

His eyes were blazing, his aura whipping around him as magic leaked from the cracks in his shields, and the large, far larger than her own, wings flared around him like robes of blood. "Harry?"

The emerald orbs focused on her and narrowed immediately. "Take it back."

Gabriel blinked. "Take what back? We didn't do anything."

"The order not to fight back. Let us defend ourselves."

Corsis raised an eyebrow, his red eyes laughing. "And why should we? You'll just end up killing someone."

Kely gasped as a flicker of sadness danced across Harry's face. "Oh my lord…it's _killing you_!" She jumped up and was across the room before Harry had a chance to react. Her wings curved and deflected the defensive attack of his magic as she stopped before him. "I never thought…the Hecatamae never explained it all…"

Harry frowned. "I was _raped_, by a _wizard_, who is _not my mate_!" He shuddered. "I couldn't fight back, and his own magic _tainted_ me, even as I marked him. Not fighting, not protecting my pack, and what my Hecatamus blood considers a part of my clan, is seeping strength from me. I either fight, or you find someone else to spy on Bumbledore."

Gabriel tipped his head to the side, his grey eyes thoughtful as they swept over Harry's form. " Just how much is this harming you?"

Harry clenched his jaw. "I can't show you."

Haren narrowed his eyes, standing up from his seat on the floor. "And why not? You are demanding something from us that--."

"That shouldn't have been taken in the first place." Kely closed her eyes, one pale hand rising and reaching out to Harry. He hesitantly allowed her to touch his cheek. "It's okay Harry. We can keep your Core from overloading you, but please, just show us what our own decision has done."

Emerald eyes flared, glowing like a beacon as he tipped his head forward and the raven black strands of his hair shadowed his face. His body trembled, even as pure silver magic wrapped carefully around him. He whimpered in pain as he opened his shields just a little, just enough for them to see the odd gaping wound that appeared over his heart. It was like looking into a small abyss, one that was struggling to close itself and heal.

"Lucifer…you have a hole in your chest, you know that, right?"

Harry glared at Corsis. "No duh, I just don't pay attention to it."

"Why is it there?" Kely cocked her head to the side in curiosity. "I don't remember hearing about anything like this."

"You wouldn't have, our people were always so reclusive."

Harry looked up, surprised to see the exact same Hecatama from his…death experience. He blinked. "Are you Balance?"

She smiled at him. "Yes. I am Balance."

"I uphold…you?"

Her smile broke into a grin. "Yes, I suppose you do. But I am only known as Balance now. Once I was Balanqa."

"Which means Balance anyway."

Balanqa walked forward, almost seeming to glide. Her wings unfolded and without realising it, Harry walked forward until they close around him. Her voice was soft in his ear as she held him close. "Do not fear, Little One. We will repair this damage, both to your own being and to this world. It is our one promise from birth to death. Only a Hecatamae has the power to change whole worlds."

"You say that as if there were other worlds." His voice was muffled as his cheek lay against her shoulder. He was comfortable, and felt almost as if he was being held by his own mother.

"And who says there isn't? We may have all died out, Harry, but we left our mark on more than just this world." She pulled back and looked at him. "But that is for another day!"

Kely shifted slightly. She had always heard the voices of Balance and Fate, had known that they were once Hecatamae. She had been told, only two centuries ago, by two Hecatama that they were the only Deities left they were willing to honour, and they upheld what they stood for. "Are you truly Balance?"

Balanqa smiled softly. "Yes, Kely." She glanced at Gabriel and Corsis who were busy staring at her. "Falanqa would have come along, but she has business to attend to elsewhere." She raised an eyebrow at Haren who blinked back at her. "For now, I am here because Harry needs all that I can give him. And he deserves his freedom."

"From the decision we made."

"A decision that was made despite our protests."

Haren flinched. "We didn't see it as necessary to allow dangerous individuals that much freedom."

"And now you see why we suggested otherwise."

"We were going to revoke it." Gabriel sighed. "You just sort of came in before we could discuss it."

"It needs no discussion." Balanqa's blue eyes flashed angrily. "The decision is revoked. There is no room for argument and no reason for it. The Durmstrang students have been light hearted about this transfer, but Dumbledore's decision are costing them valuable time in which they could be furthering their studies. We much prefer their system to the English one."

Harry blinked. He hadn't expected it to be so easy…

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Harry frowned as he stepped into the Room of Requirement, emerald eyes sweeping over the sixty…students. His frown deepened when he noticed the anxious glances and the hardened mouths of the sixth years. Sighing mentally, he shook off any remaining anger and walked further forward, eyes meeting the worried amber of Mere's eyes. He nodded to her and she relaxed slightly, only to tense up again. Harry wondered what had happened in the half hour or so since he'd seen her last.

_Perhaps someone has been harmed?_ Tom's voice drifted into his mind, still sounding unsteady. He was really quite ready to just kill Merrick.

Clearing his throat, his voice rang out clear through the room, the lilting accent just a little more pronounced than usual. "What's happened here?"

One of the sixth years, a Prefect named Lucial Marnah, one of his pack, stepped forward. "Joanne and Kimba haven't turned up yet."

He frowned. "This class should have been going for at least twenty minutes by now…where's Remus and my mother?"

"They went to look for them." Mere walked over to him. "Harry, we found these by the entry to the dungeons." She handed him a pair of silver bracelets, a glittering blue gem winking up at him from within the flat metal.

He looked up sharply. "They never go anywhere without these. No one does."

Hermione blinked in confusion. She'd arrived at the appropriate time, even after knowing Harry would not arrive for some time, and watched as Remus instructed the students in the proper casting of a complicated shield spell, one that was designed to work off of any offensive spells that came anywhere near the caster. Of course, none of the ones they were learning about would stop a Killing Curse, and she'd asked whether or not there really was a spell to do so. A couple of fifth years had whispered something about the usefulness of Hecatamae to her, apparently they were able to manipulate the spell itself and make it as harmless as a poorly cast _stupefy_.

She'd watched as the minutes ticked by and the students grew steadily more and more worried. She'd had no idea that none of them ever missed the lessons, and had been surprised when Mere had surrounded walked from the bare wall at the back of the room, which she was sure contained no door, frowning worriedly, only to glance around and swear before taking off again. Remus and Lily had left shortly after glancing at a silver bracelet on their wrists; one which she noticed was on every Durmstrang students wrist. She was curious as to what they actually were for.

Darren suddenly stiffened beside her, at the same time as Harry, Mere and six other students. Harry spun and suddenly black fur crept over his skin and he was dropping to the ground, fully transformed into a medium sized blue-black wolf. Emerald gold eyes shined brightly as he tipped his head back and gave a chilling howl. She jerked and took an involuntary step backwards, eyes wide with fright. She jerked when the warm wash of magic moved over her head, a calming purple colour. "What?"

Darren blinked. "It's okay, Hermione, that was just a simple spell, like a Fidelius Charm for people. And the whole Harry-turning-into-a-wolf-thing…he does that a lot."

"What? Why would you do that?" She turned accusing eyes onto Darren, who simply shrugged, partially relieved that she seemed to of ignored the other half of his answer.

"It's necessary now. You can't tell a soul what you have seen, or will see in relation to any of us."

The wolf turned its head and looked steadily at her, before glancing out the door again. Seeming to come to a decision, he pressed his muzzle into Mere's hand and gold fur, with black spots, appeared over her skin. She seemed to shrink and lengthen all at once, and where the tall blonde had once stood, now a sleek leopard blinked. The leopard snarled, the door to the room opened and she bounded through, loping easily down the corridor. The wolf padded softly over to her, even as she backed away, a very real fear gripping her heat in an icy hold.

"Please, don't hurt me." She might have known it was Harry, but werewolves were dangerous folk.

The fur receded and Harry stood back up, the gold thinning to a line around his irises. "I'm not going to hurt you, Mione. I never meant for you to see that, and I'm sorry you had to."

"What are you? Werewolves cannot change outside of the full moon, and never at will!"

He cocked his head to the side and she glimpsed impatience in his eyes. "It's close enough to the full moon to affect any of the werefolk. I'm not just a werewolf, but I'm guessing you already figured out that there was something different about me, didn't you?"

"Yes," she swallowed. "You never use a wand, and wandless magic takes a great deal of power. I saw, the other day, you picked a wand up and Weasley dared you to cast a spell, but you didn't. You couldn't, could you?"

"No. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on the way you look at it, what I am means that no wand will ever work in my hands. A wand to you is an easy way to access the magic within yourself, in your Core. A wand to me is little more than a fancy stick. It's not an outlet, because it uses your own Inner Magic, and mine is dangerous to me and to others. For that reason, and many others, I use outside magic, that which is all around us, to cast spells."

She blinked, and then she gasped, looking up at him in awe. Her mind worked furiously through the facts he'd supplied, and come to only one conclusion. "Hecatamae."

"Yes." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was then she noticed his attire.

Dressed in a hooded tunic that reached mid thigh, with a piece of material hanging about his neck, along with a black sash which held an empty shiny black sheath. She blinked again and could have sworn she caught sight of some kind of emblem upon his chest, over his heart. But it was gone and she couldn't be sure of what she'd seen.

"Unfortunately, I must cut this short. I need to find Joanne and Kimba. What I need from you, is your help. While I could ask Hogwarts, and believe me I tried to, it seems I'll need to find them on my own and I cannot waste time trying to explain the intricacies of my odd hybridism. They could be hurt, and I'm going to need you to show us where someone is more likely to take them, somewhere empty where no one could hear them."

"What makes you think they were taken?"

"The bracelets." He opened his hand, magic swirling a moment before the two bracelets vanished from the ground and reappeared on his palm. "We each wear these, the gem is reflective of our aura colours. These two, are a very rare and much sought after type of magical twin. It means that they share access to their Cores, making them twice as strong and incredibly efficient on the battlefield. The British Ministry has already asked their parents for their aid, and been refused, because they're being considered for an apprenticeship to a Master of Necromancy." He raised a hand when she started to speak. "I know that Necromancy is both illegal and frowned upon here, but it's a form of magic and incredibly useful."

He looked back at the door, which was now closed. "Mere has gone to see if she can locate my mother and Remus. I need you to come with us, help us find the most likely spot."

"Can't you just sniff them out?"

He shook his head. "Normally, yes, but there's a strong, and very old, spell at play that masks a persons scent. More than likely the Founders placed it, and I cannot tamper with that." His eyes turned desperate and pleading. "Please, Mione. I can't simply let them be harmed. I may have my own pack, but I swore to protect everyone here."

She bit her lip and nodded hesitantly. Her eyes widened as he slipped back into his wolf form, trotting over to a group of five students. One by one he touched his nose to their hands and they were turned into some form of Were. Darren was shaggy coated black and tan coloured wolf, Marci became a small white fox with a brown stripe down the fluffy tail, Karl was a steel grey coloured wolf with black paws, Lucial became a dark gold leopard, and a fifth year named Markus Albearth was a lithe black and white tiger.

They were an odd looking pack and Hermione couldn't help the way her eyes blinked in confusion and her mouth opened in disbelief. "Okay. You are the weirdest looking pack. Ever."

Harry snorted, his emerald gold eyes closing a moment. When they opened, he whined and made his way to the door. Darren slipped over to her, nudging at the small of her back. She hesitantly followed them out the door, wanting nothing more than to stay in the Room of Requirement. But she counted Harry as a friend, and what sort of friend would she be if she didn't help him?

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Phanta didn't like this. Oh no, she knew this was bad, very very bad. She looked down the hall. Empty, dusty, unused, unloved. She felt for Hogwarts, felt the way she thrummed in pain. She stretched her wings and took off from the ugly gargoyle statue she'd perched on. Wrong, everything here was wrong. The way the Old Bearded One watched her Master, the way the Carrot Headed One had hurt her Master and not been punished, the way the Little Lions cursed the Durmstrang children, the way she could not stay with her Master. It was all wrong.

There was no moonlight down here, and her tiny silver body glowed bright in the murky darkness. Her onyx eyes flicked around, her beautiful, shiny, gossamer wings beating steadily through the air, disturbing decades of dust. The stones were cold, tired, lonely. Wrong. Her tail whipped out behind her, tapping a sleeping portrait. The lion within roared silently. It went back to sleep again. Wrong.

Wrong. All so, so wrong. Why did no one care for this beautiful, living, breathing castle? Wrong, wrong, wrong. Footsteps and scuff marks in the decades of dust. Those people didn't care for cleaning. Only one spell! One spell and the floor would be beautiful, cold, and well loved again. Only for a moment though. Wrong. Stupid people who step without cleaning, and drag others with them…

She shrieked and sped down the corridor. Footsteps and scuff marks! Missing students! No, no, no! Why would they be here? With ones who smelled like Carrot Head? Why would they not be with her Master? Why here? Why? What was happening?

She turned a corner and barrelled into a solid, yet soft, like flesh, form. She ducked as a hand grabbed at her, she saw! Oh, she saw! The Twins! The Twins! No! Her Master had to know! She shrieked, high and piercing, and the Carrot Headed One clapped stupid pale hands over his big stupid ears. There was another, and another, and another. They bore the mark of her Master! Attackers! Rapists!

A blast of pure silver magic rippled from her. Oh, they pay! They pay! Her Master would get them, curse them, make them pay for their actions!

Oh, but the Twins. Tiny little sixteen cycle children. She landed beside them, cooing and hissing, her tail lashing, but they did not move. The Healer! The Healer could fix them, make them move and grin and bat at her. But where were their familiars? Why would they leave?

She shrieked again, lower, searching. The Carrot Headed One raised his wand. She hissed in anger, but two tigers suddenly sprinted from the shadows. Snarling, angry, orange and black tigers. She cooed and climbed on top of the chest of the female Twin, watching in pleasure and joy as the stupid Carrot Headed One ran.

Running!

No! Her Master needed to exact payment! She leaped into the air, shooting passed worried cats, past their heads and around the corner. She hissed and shrieked again, she called to her Master, even as they fell in agony.

She'd always liked the way her shrieking caused others agony. Almost as good as stealing their food.

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As they left yet another deserted and dusty corridor, Hermione cast a nervous glance at the rumbling Weretiger beside her. All of them were uneasy, and the fact that they couldn't find the missing students was beginning to show. Remus and Lily had joined them only a short time ago, led to where they were by the golden form of Mere. Remus' silver coat glowed in the shadows, like his angry amber eyes. Lily was darting around them all in the form of a small ginger haired cat, her animagus form.

Harry stiffened, pausing with one paw hovering over the ground. He growled suddenly and took over, loping easily over the ground. The other eight followed and Hermione sighed. Looking around, even though she really didn't need to, since it was deserted after all, she closed her eyes and focused. The magic crawled over her skin, and she winced as her bones cracked and shifted around inside her skin. She shrank and sprouted soft feathers. Her eyes opened and the world came into sharp focus, every detail laid out for her eyes to see. Hermione opened white and brown wings, pushing off the floor and flapping franticly. She could still hear the movements of the pack, and she took off after them.

Harry growled, even as he slid around the corner, sending up thick clouds of dust and dirt. His eyes glowed and focused on the frantic form of Phanta, who had her head cocked back, a high-pitched shrieking echoing around the corridor. He winced and barked at her, but his eyes landed on the bright orange hair of Ron Weasley.

Phanta hissed angrily, "**They harm the Twins! Master, they bear your mark, they hurt you!**"

Harry crept forward, aware that his mother's ginger cat form had streaked past and around yet another corner. Markus and Lucial followed, snarling at the trembling wizards who lay on the floor, right where they belonged. He growled, pulling his lips back and bearing the sharp white fangs. Ron's eyes widened at the sight and he scrabbled backwards, hand shooting out and searching behind him for his wand. Which conveniently lay three metres away. Phanta hissed and scooped it up, hovering over his head and tempting him with the wooden stick.

"D-d-don't h-h-hurt m-m-me!"

Harry snarled. He was in no mood to listen to the pathetic pleading of a wizard. His Hecatamus half shrieked, demanding retribution in the form of the dead body of the cowardly teen. But Harry had a better idea. Oh, he _was_ going to kill Ron, but he was going to make him terrified first. And he refused to murder in a school full of young children already terrified of this war.

Growling, he flicked his tail to the side, a sudden stream of small black spiders crawling out of the stone walls and creeping over to the now screeching wizard. He rumbled in pleasure, slipping past and padding around the corner.

"Oh, god. Marci!"

Harry stepped to the side as a white blur shot past him, skidding to a stop by the prone forms of Joanne and Kimba. Pale gold eyes were turned on him, and he lowered his muzzle down to touch the small snout that quivered beneath him. In an instant Marci slid smoothly into her human form, hands instantly moving, her wand gripped tightly. He blinked and looked up as a brown and white owl landed on the floor, changing into a grimacing Hermione.

"Oh no."

Harry snorted again, fur receding into his skin and clothes, the change meaning that the others would revert as well. At least they could keep the four wizards under control better this way.

Marci leaned back on her heels, eyes tired and drawn. "They suffered magical overloads. Someone kept casting spells on them, and with no wand they would have had to use wandless magic to defend themselves. Other than a broken leg, wrist, a few ribs and more than a dozen lacerations, and bruises, they should be okay in a day or so." She looked to the pacing form of Remus, feeling sorry that he couldn't change back yet. He wasn't tied to Harry's magic as much as they were. "Harry?"

"What?" He looked down at her, eyes blazing with anger. Phanta cooed from where she was now perched on his shoulder, four wands gripped in her talons.

"Can you please change Remus back?"

He blinked, looking at the silver wolf as if it was the first time he'd noticed him. "Oh. Sorry." A flick of his wrist and Remus stood up, amber eyes narrowed.

"How dare they?!"

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Dumbledore was quite happily enjoying a glass of Ogden's Finest, and a bowl of delicious lemon drops, with a few sherbets thrown in for good measure. He sighed in content and leaned back in his chair, blue eyes landing on the four empty portraits. He still didn't understand how the Founders could have possibly left them, no search turned up with any clue as to the whereabouts of more portraits. But that was truly the only thing that was going wrong. His plans were falling into place and soon he would rid Britain of Harry Evans.

He wondered if the poor hybrid even knew of the fate awaiting him?

The Council envoy, the Healer, hadn't made even one noise of complaint so far over his actions, and the Council themselves were far too disillusioned at the moment. He was going to have to show them that the Light was the only side for them. There was no room for a Neutral stance, and surely they would not be so stupid as to believe he wouldn't carry out his threat. Granted, the meeting had been remarkably shorter than he'd imagined, but he had been to the point and they knew of his views on their inaction. But why had that Assassin, what was his name? Ah, yes, Grey Shadow. Why had he reacted so strongly when he'd claimed that the rape of Harry Evans had, in fact, been consensual sex?

He realised that the Assassin was obviously some form of Elemental, which meant he was descended from a Hecatamae, but he wasn't overly worried. Normal spells would work on him if he ever presented a problem, granted those spells _would_ have to be strong if they were to even get near him. Perhaps, he knew Harry? If that was so, then he could use that to his advantage. All he'd have to do, would be to contact Grey and spin a story about his friend, thus turning the talented Assassin against the Hecatamus and gaining the Light another weapon to use in the war.

He needed another weapon, one that wasn't so experienced in dealing with him as Daniel was. The boy was beginning to rebel against him, even going so far as to say he'd rather stay out of the war. And Dumbledore knew that he could only claim his place in the war, as based on the prophecy, only so long. Someone was bound to find out about the nullification of that prophecy. Severus had told him that Voldemort was in love, but that he had never seen the person who stood so close to the Dark Lord. If he could find that…wizard, it had to be a wizard because Voldemort had never shown an interest in females, had he?

If he could find this wizard, then he could use them to make Voldemort angry, therefore causing him to make a mistake, one that could spell his end.

But then again…Voldemort was powerful, most likely one of the most powerful wizards in today's world…

Frowning, he reached over and grabbed at the book lying in his desk. The leather cover was faded and tattered, but one could still see the words etched into it :_ Semo ellyis karet werao_. He had next to know idea as to what it said, as it was one of the few journals of the Hecatamae Shamans that had been written in Olde English, which was easy to translate, but the cover, and several words within were in the Hecatamae's own language. Nothing could translate that.

_A Hecatamae, when their Mate is one of the Locked Cores, those who call themselves, wizards and witches, will seek out the strongest of their kind. It matters not to us as to what their gender is, for it is their Majickal Compatibility that we care for. Most usually, they will have a larger than normal Core, which is, for reasons unknown to us, partially Unlocked. This allows them better access to their Inner Majick, and makes them far more powerful._

_Once a Hecatamae has found their Mate, they will weave their own Majicks about them, ensuring their safety from any Wizarding Majicks. But, as we are beginning to see, when this occurs, the same spells that we are unable to fight against, can weaken the Shield, thereby harming the Hecatamae._

_Hecatamae, will only seek the most Majickly capable, as the Link which forms allows the Mate to help heal any cracks or fractures which may appear in our Core Shields. We are, majickly speaking, incapable of Bonding with anyone who is average, or lower, as our own majick will overwhelm them._

_A particularly powerful Hecatamae, most likely one descended from the families of Death and Time, Balance and Fate, will seek out the most powerful majick user of their particular time period._

He tapped one gnarled finger against his chin, frowning down at the text. He flipped the page and stared down at the image that had been drawn there. Picking his wand up, he silently, and begrudgingly, admitted that the Hecatamae were good when it came to magic, before tapping the page. Instantly his office changed and became a forest and he could see a man standing there, or, to be more precise, an Hecatamus.

The Hecatamus had flowing, true black hair, and wings that must've spanned over twenty feet, and was casting an impenetrable shadow over the land about him. His aura was pure black, interspersed with a soft charcoal grey and blood red; it flared around him and seemed to make the world still. Of course, this was merely a holographic image, but, just as Wizarding photos moved with their own personality, Hecatamae images showed what had been going on while it was being drawn.

The Hecatamus turned, his dragon like wings flaring, before folding against his back. His eyes held no white and were a pure, fathomless black void. There was no way of telling just where he was looking, but Dumbledore soon felt he knew. There was a large gathering, a short way away, of what seemed to be one of the Hecatamae Clans. In the centre, stood an Hecatama, who beamed at her family, her hand being held loosely by a well dressed wizard.

Dumbledore frowned, watching as each member of the Clan, some of whom were also wizards and witches, touched the man lightly on the head, a small flicker of their magic remaining.

The image faded, and he watched as the Hecatamus he'd first seen vanished in a wisp of mist. Frowning, he rubbed his hand over his eyes tiredly. He was fairly certain now, that Harry was perhaps bonded to Voldemort, which created a problem all on its own. If Voldemort was truly the Mate of an Hecatamus, and they had bonded, then it meant that the Dark Lord was only a wizard by birth. His Core would have expanded almost to the size and power of an Hecatamus, and he would most likely be able to sense and use External Magic.

At least he would still need to use a wand to cast spells.

He hummed as he lifted his glass and swallowed, letting the drink burn on its way down. Just as he was reaching for a lemon sherbet, the walls of his office shook, on odd thumping echoing up the spiral staircase and through the closed door. Another shake and he heard something crack. A boom and he was beginning to get worried.

"DUMBLEDORE!!"

He frowned, wondering who would be at his office and so upset, and pointed his wand at one of the silver mirrors arranged about the room. The reflective surface shimmered before clearing and showing him the gargoyle guardian for his office.

Standing there, with emerald eyes blazing and aura whipping about, was Harry Evans.

**A/N:** Okay so the chapter has been, well, cut a little. It was getting way too long, so here's a cliff hanger! The next part will be in the next chapter, promise.

On another note, I realise I had Remus transform into a wolf as well as Harry and his pack. Just so you all know, the full moon is precisely three days away (which means three chapters), so their Were halves are all closer to the surface than they normally would be. Harry is able to control the influence of the moon on his pack to a certain degree, which leads to him being able to push a transformation prematurely. As for Remus, his wolf half was furious that a child, who he considers a 'cub' to be looked after, could be harmed in a place meant for safe education, so he transformed himself. Lily went with him to try and keep him rational. Harry's ability to manipulate magic within structures and people allowed him to change Remus back.

And, I don't know about you guys, but I missed Phanta…so, I gave her the part in which the twins were found. I think it went quite well…


	19. Confrontations And Tests

**A/N:** This chapter actually gave me a lot of trouble and it wasn't until I'd put up chapter eighteen that I finally finished it. Before anyone kills me…you might notice that I didn't put in exactly how Harry got Dumbledore's office to look the way it will, the chapter, I swear, is almost seven thousand words long (6,641 in fact), so maybe that is a compromise? Let your imaginations run wild, but I imagined it to look like what Harry did to the office at the end of OotP, only ten times worse.

On another note, have a look at the bold print below….

**Countdown to Ronald Bilius Weasley's Demise-- Six Chapters**

I now know for sure that that will be occurring in chapter twenty five. Everything is planned out and just waiting to be typed up. Harry will just be indulging in terrorising Ron with spiders, and Phanta will be annoying the hell out of the other three to the best of her ability.

And if anyone thinks that this story is moving too slowly, or like a soap opera show, which I heartily loathe, I cannot simply skip over important facts. There are hints everywhere as to what is going to happen, all you have to do is look for it. This story was always going to move slowly through most of the chapters, it was truly planned that way. And sorry there are so many characters to keep track of…

**Chapter Nineteen-- Confrontations And Tests**

Marci raised an eyebrow at the broken gargoyle that had had the unfortunate duty of guarding Dumbledore's office door. The door itself looked more like a hole now, and the rubble of the wall was spread about the corridor. She was surprised that Harry had put so much effort into blasting his way in, after all, he could have just asked Hogwarts. Unless the castle was being refused the right to contact him, since he'd been unable to simply find out the location of Joanne and Kimba that way. Most likely it was yet another thing Dumbledore had done.

She stepped onto the spiral staircase and began to climb it, feeling the crackles of energy in the air. In fact, she could see tendrils of black, gold and red magic reaching out from the office door. Swearing lightly, she hurried on up, opening the half closed door to have her sight blocked by a blood red wing. That wing, attached to Harry, had small vein like lines of black running through it, and those had not been there before all this had begun.

"Harry?"

"Go away, Marci!"

"Ah, Miss Szina, how good of you to join us."

Harry reluctantly folded his wing, emerald eyes blazing with power and pure hatred. He was loosing the precarious grip he had on his shields, and the only thing helping him was the soft caress of Tom's magic. He'd missed his mate and could hardly believe he'd actually blocked him out. But he'd have to talk to him later, make sure he knew the truth and not the lie Merrick had concocted.

"Join?" Marci stepped next to Harry, giving him a brief smile. "I was merely coming here to inform you of a recent development, but it seems Harry may have got here first." She cast a glance about the room, noting the absence of the phoenix Harry had told them about, and the destroyed books and various items. "I must say, he did a good job."

Dumbledore seemed taken aback by her dismissive tone. "I was under the impression you had no objections."

She huffed. "I never even spoke to you, so how on earth did you figure that?" She gave an inward wince, as she straightened up. "As the official envoy of the Guild Council," another wince, "I am hereby informing you that your past actions, or inactions, have led me to assume that you care very little for those you see as 'Dark', which you also assume must be 'evil'. You have a very prejudiced way of looking at the world, just as every Light Lord before you."

"I am no Light Lord, there has never been one."

Harry sneered, the expression twisting his features. "Oh, of course not. Wouldn't want the world to know that Light magic corrupts a person too."

Marci cast a glance at Harry. "Perhaps, I should come back another time?"

"No. The Council needs to know what he's done."

"I have done nothing, Mister Evans."

The effect was immediate. Harry snarled out something in the Hecatamae's own language, before his eyes flashed, flaring even brighter. "You gave that son of a bitch spells to use against me! I know, you know what I am, Dumbledore, because you were there when my parents were told. I know, that it was you who informed the Ministry and pushed them to vote for my capture and execution. And I know, that Weasley could not have found those spells, without your help."

Marci was shocked, to say the least. She might have already known that it was likely that the Headmaster had given Ron those spells, but to now know that the man had wanted Harry dead?

"You are a dangerous…_animal_, Harry, I had no other choice."

Gold flashed within Harry's eyes, and he gave a very audible growl. "Animal? You call me an animal?"

The rising anger was beginning to crack his shields, and Marci felt it like a stab to her chest. Sucking in a deep breath, she placed a hand on Harry's arm, noticing for the first time that he'd remembered to change out of his Assassin's clothing, before sending a calming burst of magic into him. The soft pink magic was absorbed immediately and his muscles relaxed a little. He sent her a thankful glance, before focusing once more on the old wizard before them.

"You also allow your students to attack us, Dumbledore," she said softly, trying to keep Harry as calm as possible. "And two of our peers are currently lying in beds in the Hufflepuff dorms suffering from severe magical overloads, as well as physical injuries."

"You cannot be certain that any Hogwarts student attacked them."

"Can't we?" Harry sneered. "We caught them there, in the act!"

"Impossible. Perhaps they were there to help them?"

Marci raised an eyebrow, watching in silence as Harry's entire demeanour changed. The magic that was radiating from him was suddenly sucked in, his wings folding and vanishing, while his eyes lit up like golden emeralds in a pitch-black room. "And why, Dumbledore, would any Gryffindor wish to help a Durmstrang student when they could easily attack them instead? You have them all thinking we are nothing but Dark witches and wizards."

His voice was soft, and he seemed to have reverted back to the usual calm and patient Harry she knew so well. Staying quiet, she reached out with her own magic and slipped past the barrier he held up against everyone but her and his mate. She could see what was wrong, could see the reason behind the uneasy feeling she'd been getting the last day or so. The shields surrounding his Core, a shimmering dark grey over a vibrant pearl like orb, had massive cracks and fractures spread over it like a spiders web. His Inner Magic was leaking out, but just above his own shields, was one that was coloured light blue and felt distinctly ancient. She had no idea what was helping protect him from the chaotic magic within him, but she was grateful for it all the same. A furious Harry was deadly for everyone.

She blinked as she drew back, knowing Harry was already aware of her intrusion, just as Dumbledore replied.

"Are you anything but that? You all freely admit that you learn the Dark Arts, Harry."

"That does not make us Dark by association. You cannot put people into a category based on their type of magic."

"You admit that your own magic is Dark?"

Harry snorted and shook his head in disbelief. "Half werewolf Dumbledore. My magic was always going to be at least partially Dark, and it's not like I could learn what we are learning if I wasn't naturally able to."

Marci sighed. "What does it matter whether someone's magic is Light or Dark? It's the intent behind it that matters."

The old wizard frowned and gave her a look that made her feel like a small child inquiring beyond her station. "My dear, Dark magic corrupts the individual using it. Having you all wandering my halls is worrying at the least. Never mind having you in the same dorms as my own students."

"Then let us back into our own dorm." Marci felt Harry's muscles tense under her hand and she wondered what he was up to. "We are more comfortable being separated from your students. And the fact you worry about our effect on them, despite being the reason we are in there, means that you should have already thought of this."

She almost laughed when she realised what Harry was doing. He was manipulating a cunning manipulator. Dishing back to him what he gave out. It was perfect, and she was witness to Dumbledore's own words expressing his concern, and as a Healer, she was bound to move towards trying to ease pain or stress on those around her. He would know that.

"He's right, Headmaster. It would be better for all involved if we were once more separated. The wards and spells we are all using on our beds could cause serious harm to repeat offenders. I'm sure your medi-witch is sick of all the injuries coming about."

He was stuck. He had no choice. Harry could barely keep the smirk off his face, only just managing to twist it into a grimace. His eyes flickered when he caught sight of a familiar face beaming at him. The Founders had returned to their portraits.

"I believe we are in agreement with these children, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore jerked, turning to see Salazar sneering at him while Helga gave him a self satisfied smirk. "You are back?"

"For now, at least." Rowena frowned down at him. "Perhaps it would be best if you did what was good for everyone?"

"I heartily agree." Godric was frowning, an angry gleam in his eyes. "These students should never have been put in with Hogwarts'. It was a bad idea from the beginning."

Dumbledore stared, even as the castles walls shivered. Marci looked at Harry, knowing by the satisfied smirk beginning to creep over his face, that he could feel whatever was happening. She hoped that the castle was removing their things and placing them back in the separate dorms.

"Very well, as it seems that the Founders have made the decision, the Durmstrang students will be placed within a separate dorm once more."

"And your students?" Marci frowned at him. "What of them?"

"I will speak to their Heads of House and we will begin to repair the problem."

Harry nodded and allowed Marci to tug him towards the door. "Why don't you let Professor McGonagall punish them as she sees fit? That we can agree with!"

Marci shook her head and continued to drag him down the spiral staircase. "You are such an idiot, Harry."

"What?"

"Honestly! Going off as pissed as you were, confronting Dumbledore alone!" She spun and poked him in the chest. "You could have killed him!"

"Well," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I almost did. Although, I don't think he knows that."

She stared at him. "Idiot. You are an idiot!"

He grinned sheepishly. "Look, I'm not sorry I went and saw him, I am sorry that I did it the way I did."

"What half?" She rubbed her temples, trying to ignore the migraine she knew was creeping slowly up on her.

"Werewolf."

"Again, _idiot_!"

She was aware of the frown beginning to crease his brow, but she ignored it in favour of checking him over to ensure that he was still safe. She was the only person anywhere nearby, let alone qualified, who could be able to care for any injuries that may be inflicted upon him. His own magic refused medi-witches and wizards, and any ordinary wizard ways of treating injuries were rejected immediately. Spells had to be purely Healer in origin, and the potions had to be derived from those left behind by the Hecatamae and those potions were so delicate that they required a Master of Potions.

She sighed, shaking her head as her fingers traced over a jagged cut on his forearm, her magic healing it as she went. "Why is it that you always rush into things? Why can't you think things over, like Grey?"

Harry blinked at her, aware of both what she was saying and why she was saying it. Grey Shadow, though essentially him in reality, was mostly made up of that part of him capable of feeling absolutely nothing, a part of him that he used to its full extent during missions. If he was going to kill someone, in a possibly very gruesome way, he didn't want to be feeling terrible for doing it, or feeling sick because of how it'd been done.

On the other hand, she was mentioning Grey as if it was an entirely separate person. Which was good, because Dumbledore was prying into Grey's life, and he had likely already found the connection between Harry, Grey and Tom, or as he was likely to call him, Voldemort. If that was the case, the Circle had decided they wanted no mistakes, that they wanted no chance of Dumbledore using the knowledge against _Harry_. If he was to use it against _Grey Shadow_, he had another thing coming. That part of Harry, which made up so much of him anyway, was not likely to back down nor take any threats lightly.

He smiled down at Marci, and it was soft, full of the fondness he held for each of his close friends. He loved his pack, each and every one of them, since they were so small a group, but his friends? His friends were dear to him.

He would die for each and every one of them. Without a seconds thought.

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Hermione sighed, tucking her legs under her and lifting the book up a bit more. She was reading yet another book, trying to find out something more substantial on Hecatamae. Ever since Harry had admitted he was one, she'd been curious as to what that entailed, but she'd been too nervous to approach him throughout the day. The Durmstrang students had all seemed tense and irritated, just as they'd been when they first arrived.

It was worrying, and she had found herself anxiously looking around for Harry, or even Mere, but she could find neither of them. They were Head Boy and Girl, they should have picked up on the tension and reacted to it, by stopping it of course. The reactions she'd been seeing all day could quite possibly mean that there was going to be some kind of--.

"_GET BACK HERE YOU STINKEN' FLYIGN SERPENT!!_"

--problem.

She sighed and looked up to see Harry's familiar, the tiny silver faerie dragon, Phanta, whirling away from the three Gryffindor boys that were currently chasing her. Watching, an amused smile playing over his lips, was Darren. His own familiar, an odd looking black panther like cat that seemed to drift in and out of sight, was crouched on the ground, looking for all the world as if it was waiting to pounce, once permission was given.

"Hey, Hermione!"

She frowned, closing the book and unfolding herself as she stood. The book was carefully put into the bag she slipped onto her shoulder, before she began making her way over to him. "Hello, Darren."

His familiar looked up at her, red eyes gleaming as odd flames swept through its fur. "_Hello, Miss Granger._"

She jerked, brown eyes widening. "My god…"

Darren gave her a grin. "They do talk, just some of them don't exactly speak English, like Phanta, who can only speak Parseltongue." He looked up as the little dragon shrieked, high enough to make his familiar hiss in annoyance and pounce into the air after her. "And they tend to keep to themselves and their bonded master or mistress."

She frowned. "Must they refer to you as such?"

"They choose to." He shrugged. "Some people, like Harry, don't like being referred to as that from someone they consider their perfect equal. But we can't stop them if they choose to do so. Fact of life, I suppose." He looked down and smirked in amusement as his familiar sat down on his feet, growling. "This is Merynes, by the way."

Merynes looked up, blood red eyes watching her unblinkingly. "_It is curious, the way you protest our choices, Miss Granger._"

She sniffed. "While it's nice to meet you Merynes, I think it's best if I admit that I don't smile on servitude. Whether it be familiars or House Elves."

Darren laughed, his brown eyes glimmering gold a moment. "Oh, yes! Potter told us about your little organization. S.P.E.W, wasn't it?"

She glared at him. "It's a perfectly logical name, I'll have you know!"

"He wasn't laughing at the name, Mione." There was only one person who even called her that, and she whirled to see Harry watching her with bright emerald eyes. "Rather the reactions we've seen and what we've heard about your efforts in giving the House Elves a little more respect and freedom."

Phanta gave a sharp shriek before settling herself on his shoulder, one tanned hand rising to take the thick letter she held in her talons. The silver dragon cooed and rubbed her head on his cheek before climbing up his hair to rest on his head, her tail curling over his shoulder and around his neck, while the gossamer wings dropped down on either side of his face.

"Oh, right, of course."

Phanta hissed and Harry cocked his head slightly, even though the dragon lifted her wings up in an effort to remain where she was. He frowned and hissed back, a flash of annoyance going through eyes that held hints of gold. He looked back at her and gave a small smile. "It seems that after everything that happened, I forgot about the test I was meant to give you. Would you still like it?"

She blinked at him. "And risk not learning all these spells you all know?"

He gave a laugh, though it seemed tighter and more forced than it had been only the day before, and she could have sworn that for a moment pain flickered through his eyes. Phanta had, for sure, become suddenly more alert, her onyx eyes watching him from her perch. Darren had even twitched slightly beside her, and Merynes had once more crouched ready to pounce.

"I suppose I'll take that as a yes, then."

"As it was intended."

He led her back up to the castle, all the while having some sort of hissed argument with his familiar. Every now and then, he would tense suddenly before relaxing once more. She noticed that every time this happened, Darren would jerk and his eyes would narrow, as if he were scrutinising Harry. She didn't understand it, but vowed to ask the two of them about it later when she didn't need to keep Harry happy long enough for him to test her.

A thought crossed her mind, another one of her questions popping up. "Harry?"

He looked over at her. "Hmm?"

"What do the books mean when they say that the Hecatamae Deities chose different forms of life? If they were gods and goddesses, how could they be anything but metaphorical?"

Darren snorted. "You have a sceptic Harry!"

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "The Deities were not gods or goddesses, they were, to put it simply, the first four Hecatamae created."

"By magic?" She frowned when he nodded. "That's impossible."

"Look at it this way," He spread his hands out and swirls of coloured magic appeared around them. "You can see magic, in what you perceive as its natural and pure form, but can you speak to it? Ask it why it decided to help one spell or nullify another?"

"Of course not," she scoffed. "Magic is not alive in the same sense that we are."

"Then how do you explain Hogwarts? The castle is sentient, some people are capable of communicating with her."

"Such as himself."

Harry sighed and gave Darren a pointed glare. "The Hecatamae have long believed that magic, or as they refer to it, Majick, chose to give human beings the ability to wield itself. Muggles weren't around at that point, unless you believe in evolution, which, in that case, means that they were still swinging from the trees and throwing their own excrement at each other." He paused a ghost of a grin on his lips. "Either way, four Hecatamae were created."

"Do they even have names?" She narrowed her eyes as they entered through the doors. "Time and Balance don't match up with all the other names I've found so far."

"You mean, like Jiloqa? All Hecatamae names end in 'qa'. Time and Death, were Teroqa and Daraqa, and Fate and Balance were Falanqa and Balanqa."

She frowned. "So what do their names mean?"

"Exactly what they are called now."

"Oh. Odd." She sighed and they began to climb the stairs. "What I don't get is why they say that towards the end, Hecatamae only…worshipped… Fate and Balance, if there were four of them in the beginning."

"The four deities were not immortal, not in the sense where they simply cannot die. As the first, they have infinitely longer lives than the rest of us, but they each made choices in order to continue to aid the remaining Hecatamae. Time chose to integrate himself into Majick, becoming a part of it, while Death chose mortality over a long life. Both of them are randomly reincarnated, but only within people who have Hecatamae blood, and they can only aid that individual, not become them." He raised a hand and Phanta curled her tail about his wrist, climbing down to attach herself to his arm. "Fate and Balance chose to live until Majick died, which is as close to immortality as you can get, since Majick cannot die. They even chose to bring the Guilds together, basing the current Guild Council on the Council of the High Shamans."

Hermione blinked. "Wow. I really didn't think you would know all of that. None of the books I can find even say one word of it."

Darren laughed. "You won't find any either. Maybe some old pureblood families have a book or two, but most of the information is passed down generation to generation."

She gave him a sharp look. "You're a pureblood."

He grinned at her, unaffected by the meaning behind what she'd said. "Born one yes, but being a werewolf makes me a halfblood. And yeah, my family taught me about the Hecatamae."

Harry didn't say anything as he opened the door to the Room of Requirement. Hermione gave him an odd look before stepping through, where her mouth fell open at what he'd chosen. In the very centre of the room, was a single door, ordinary and plain, with gouges scraped into it and a rusted handle.

"Harry?"

He strode into the room, Darren shutting the door quietly behind them. Harry walked over to the door and laid his hand on the wood. Before her eyes, it began to change. The wood became a deep mahogany colour, polished smooth and with an onyx handle in the shape of a dragons head.

"How on earth…"

"This," he said, gesturing at the door. "Is called the Exitus Door. It's a door that was created by Death before he succumbed to mortality in one of his more recent reincarnations, probably one about eight hundred years ago, which was around the time the Guilds began to seek a way to move about more quick and more silent than a portkey or Aparation. It works similar to this Room, in that a single thought, while you touch it, turns it into a door similar to the one you would walk through once you opened it."

"Instant transportation, very handy." Darren gave her a smile as he leaned against the wall near the door back into Hogwarts. "And extremely complicated magic. Harry understands it, but I don't think anyone else does. His blood allows him to see, do, feel and understand everything wizards and witches like me and you can only wish to have a tenth of. Everything he says, has more weight and meaning behind it than we can comprehend, even if we were to question him non stop until he had exhausted every method of explanation."

"You're saying that…"

"That you should listen, make a decision, and tell me what you answer is."

Hermione blinked, utterly confused. Harry sighed and walked over to her, gently leading her to the mahogany door. "Stop confusing her, Darren. If the Circle or the pack has questions for her, than they can wait until after the full moon."

He opened the door and she frowned when she stepped through, seeing an odd room that had only two walls and no ceiling. The chilly wind that was whining through the room made her shiver, not to mention the touch of magic that was both cold and dark. Another shivered coursed through her when she glanced at Harry and saw that not only was the magic about her _reaching_ for him, but he seemed to be radiating an aura so powerful that his own unique magic touched her skin like a hot brand. She wondered, briefly, whether she would become cold and distant if she passed this test and learned the Dark Arts. But then she remembered that the Durmstrang students always seemed to bounce about, cheerful, even with everything they'd dealt with. None of them had turned out like the Dark wizards she'd seen; none of them were half crazed.

Because all of them were capable of dealing with the corruptive influence of the magic.

Deciding that perhaps she should keep in mind what Harry had said about Empathic Magic, she pushed her fear away and watched as he stepped up beside her. But another question was burning in her mind, and she felt she deserved an answer. "Harry? Who, or what, are the Circle?"

He smirked. "The Circle are a group of people my mate decided I needed in order to be protected."

"You mean the mate whose an older man, and a Hogwarts alumni?"

"Yes, the very same. Not like I could have more than one mate, anyway."

"Just how old _is_ your mate?"

He looked at her, and she saw a glimpse of love shining in the beautiful emerald orbs. "Older than you would expect."

He said nothing more and she got the feeling she wouldn't get any more from him on the subject. Of the few times in the last day or so where she'd tried to find out more about him and his mysterious mate, he'd clammed up and shot her a look so deadly she was almost convinced he'd been inducted into the Assassins Guild. But that was ridiculous, right?

He gestured around the room, moving his hand through the air with a light flourish. "This is an arena of sorts. Origionally it was only used to test sixth and seventh students. Now, however, all students are tested to varying degrees so as to ensure that corruption does not flow from the magic taught and into their own Cores. It's why Durmstrang turned out less wizards or witches corrupted by the Dark than any other school in the past, and why there are none now."

She nodded. "How are we doing this anyway?"

"This test, is not something that involves theory or practical work, it involves a person travelling through your Core and discovering your potential. I once showed Remus how to do such a thing, and he remembered it when he came to teach. Now, I am the person who keeps an eye on who learns what. I can make the experience less painful, though I have to warn you, if you are too Light orientated allowing my magic in will cause you a good deal of pain."

"Because you are Dark."

"Because I am Grey. I am probably leaning more towards the Dark than ever before, but I've still managed to keep myself somewhere in the centre of things."

Taking a deep breath, Hermione swallowed. "Alright then. Why here though?"

"Your Core is essentially locked, what I'll be doing is cracking it open enough for my magic to get in. some of your own magic will venture into the outside world, so that you remain aware at all times."

He led her over to one of the non-existing walls, and she saw that they were high above some sort of rocky mountain. She could see a herd, or flock, of the Battle Pegasi and guessed they were in Bulgaria. They sat along the edge and the hum of Harry's magic surrounded her, banishing the chill of the area they sat in. for a time she had no idea what was going on, his eyes were closed and he was concentrating, but then she suddenly sunk into herself.

She seemed to move past a solid barrier, she saw a massive sphere of moving magic, before her feet slammed into hard ground and she stumbled. Looking up, her eyes took in the sight of a beautiful library, calm and silent, with no rampaging Gryffindor's to mess with the books.

"Curious, that your magic chooses this to create."

She blinked at looked over at Harry. He was standing by one of the bookcases, dressed in dark greys with a hood pushed back enough so that his face was visible. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "I don't think I've ever seen someone's hideaway take on the form of a library. Though, I suppose with you it makes sense." He turned and let his fingers trail over the spines of the books, which sent a shiver through her.

"What does your's look like? And your mates?"

"Mine to me resembles paradise itself. Forests and streams, plenty of blue sky for Phanta to fly. My mates is, strangely enough, a cosy little cottage with a large fireplace. Warm and inviting, sort of like his heart, in a way."

Hermione gave him a soft smile. Whenever Harry talked of his mate, which was rather rare, she could see and hear the love he felt and that which seemed to surround him. She wondered, though, whether or not his mate truly deserved such devotion. "What do we do now? I hardly see this as a test of my magic."

He looked up from the shelf he'd been investigated and blinked at her before shaking his head a little; she got the odd feeling that in the real world he was doing it as well. "This is part of the test. Magic wise, I'm Dark enough to cause extreme discomfort if you're too Light orientated. The fact we're standing here together indicates that you are _at least_ partially Grey. But you are right, the whole test doesn't include me standing here and admiring the books." He cocked his head to the side and gave her a searching look, which truly felt like it was. "Did you know that there are more books relating to Dark magic's, than anything else?"

"What?" she turned and peered at the spines of the books lining one of the shelves. "My god…what does that mean?"

"It means, if I'm reading this right, that you're _intellectually_ capable of _understanding_ those particular branches of magic, keeping in mind that they are essentially Empathic and not truly Dark without the intent. What I need to know is whether you have the _ability_ to actually cast and hold a spell of that nature."

"How do we do that?"

"_You_ do nothing." He frowned and plucked a slim black leather bound book of the shelf. "_I_ will simply let the Darker aspects of my own magic seek the ability. This book," he waved the item towards her. "Is something I've created within this place in order to test that. You shouldn't feel much pain, if anything, but tell me if you even get a _twinge_ of discomfort."

She nodded, nervously watching as he opened the book and tendrils of pitch black magic curled around his wrists, softly touching and turning the pages within. There was an odd feeling inside of her, and it felt as if some sort of soothing warmth was moving through her.

"Anything?"

He didn't lift his eyes, focusing completely on the book. "Just…warmth."

"Good, bad?"

"Good."

Harry grinned, slamming the book shut, the tendrils of magic vanishing as he did so. "Right. Well, that was the first test. On to the next!"

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Harry yawned, cracking his jaw and blinking blearily as he travelled along the corridor, one hand trailing along the stone wall. If he were to look at his hand, he would see the bright tendrils of magic reaching out from the wall to meet the darker ones of his own magic. Hogwarts was beginning to work towards achieving his own aims, forsaking those of the Headmaster she was meant to obey without question or thought to the contrary. But Harry didn't look at his hand, and didn't see the magic, though he could feel the warmth of it travel through his limbs.

He was tired from the test with Hermione. There was only one of the seven aspects he'd tested her for that she'd be unable to physically learn. Having the knowledge was no danger to her, since he doubted she would ever have the specific type of magic required. She'd easily passed Black, Elemental, and Soul magics, but it was with Faresa and Coryi magics that she seemed to excel in. he hadn't expected it, since he was one of only seven people capable of even calling forth a blink of that power, but unlike the other six he had very little trouble with it.

Faresa and Coryi magics had begun with Angels and Demons, respectfully, and had been easily learned by the Hecatamae back before Wichards even began to dot the worlds populations. Faresa was the art of using pure magic, taking it from the world around you and cleanse it through your own Core before releasing it in powerful spells, most of which centred around Healing magics, which she'd also passed. On the other hand, Coryi magic took more power, unless the castor was particularly Dark, and drew in power from the emotions of both yourself and others around you, and was focused on devastating spells that could kill and decimate entire towns in the blink of an eye, so it stood to reason that Hermione could easily cast Chaos spells.

The last aspect, and the one she'd never really have enough defences against, was Necromantic magic. She'd protested, for a good twenty minutes…at least she'd stopped when he explained that even he could only inhabit another persons Core for so long before the exhaustion would take its toll. And no one wanted that, because his already weakening Shields would fall open far enough for his own Wild Magic to attack the nearest person, namely Hermione herself.

He had to admit though, he was surprised at the end result; Hermione was fairly Dark. Not quite as Dark as, say, Tom, but enough that even the almost result of Grey was unable to be used. In fact, she sat a little closer to Grey than he did, if he was perfectly honest with himself. He was Darker than he used to be, but it was easily explained through what he'd been doing, who he was forever bonded to and what had transpired since Dumbledore had foolishly walked into the Guild Council for the first time.

So, Hermione was Dark/Grey. It wasn't something he had honestly expected from her.

He sighed and raised a hand, pushing open the portrait before the door to the brand new dorms for the Durmstrang students. Hogwarts had created and designed the dorms, warding them fairly heavily so that nothing Dumbledore did could penetrate through them. The announcement had been made at dinner while he and Hermione had been gone, but Mere had giddily told him that Gryffindor had looked as if Tom's public half, Voldemort, had suddenly decided that dancing about in a skin tight, and bright yellow, leotard was considered good entertainment and would aid in the development of young magical minds.

_You do realise that that image is rather strange?_

Harry gave a soft smile as he stepped into the empty common room. _Tom. How are you feeling?_

_What did you meant by what you said?_

_About Merrick?_

_Yes._

_Did you trust what he said?_

_It makes no sense, why would you refuse the bond if all that'd happened had been an innocent accident during Quidditch practice, which I know has not occurred as yet. Is that match even going to go ahead?_

_If Dan can convince Dumbledore, yes. What did you think really happened?_

_Someone hurt you,_ he could practically hear his mate growling in frustration,_ but beyond that, I can find nothing, just a void of memory. The spell he cast was fairly strong._

_It was powerful enough that my own magic, that that is always with you, could not force it away. I'll have to give you the memory, but it has to be done in person._

Harry climbed the stairs up into the room that had his own name on the gold plaque. In fact, it was the only name. He opened the door and blinked at the visible hum of wards and spells, all designed to leave a gap in the schools wards and to mask the presence of anyone within. Including a mate who happened to have an ability to control magic near to his own level.

_Tom?_

_Yes?_

_Come to me?_

He closed the door, leaning back against it and rubbing his face tiredly.

"You look like you could use some sleep."

He looked up and smiled softly at Tom, who looked as if he'd jumped out of bed. "I could, but this is more important."

Tom growled softly, stepping closer and placing his hands beside Harry's head, leaning down and whispering in his ear. "Then fix it."

Harry shivered, letting out a shaky breath as the link opened completely and Tom's own desire slammed into him, his own rising suddenly to meet it. "Why does this feel familiar?"

Tom grinned, grabbing his hand and tugging him over to the large bed in the centre of the room. "Because the last time I visited you in a bedroom, I fucked you against a door?"

Emerald eyes blinked slowly. "I knew that, I was being sarcastic."

"Sure you were."

Harry growled. "Sit down and shut the god damn link, or I won't be able to get this done!"

His mate snorted, but the flow of desire stopped, leaving his head light and the world feeling oddly as if it were tilting. "Happy?"

"Not really." He sighed and kneeled on the floor, folding his arms on Tom's knees and resting his chin on them. "I need you to stay perfectly still, I'll transfer my own memory of what we told you." Tom nodded and Harry took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he focused on pulling Hogwarts magic in so that he could push the memory along the link, copying it into Tom's mind.

_Cold. Pain. Fear. Loss. __**Refusal**__. Weakness. Death. Truth. Confrontation._

Harry blinked as he pulled back, gazing up as he watched Tom relive the memory from his own perspective. He knew the moment when his mate finished watching it, by the way his neck tensed, his hands clenched into fists and his eyes suddenly blazed blood red.

"Bastard!" Tom snarled, standing up and stomping over to the door, hand on the handle before Harry yanked him back. "Let me go, Harry!"

"No!" Emerald eyes flashed, the bright colour suddenly darkening and hardening. "Revenge for the act is mine, you know that. If you claim it, this will never leave me. The act is done; you cannot change that by announcing to the whole of Hogwarts just who the majority of us support in this war. Please, Tom, don't force my hand."

"And what would you do if I walked out of this room?"

Harry swallowed. "Anything I'd have to. But please don't make me."

Red eyes darkened back to brown, filling rapidly with concern. "How can you so easily ignore what this has done?"

"I'm not ignoring it, Tom, I'm simply focusing on what's at hand. I have the safety of sixty-two students to worry about, not to mention a new one coming in from now on. Besides, I've been given the contract on Weasley's life."

Tom blinked. "You know, you could have said that earlier."

Harry shrugged. "Bed?"

His mate grinned. "Unless you want the door again?"

**A/N:** That took forever to write…gah, I'm going to bed now, tired from three full days work and only five and a half hours of sleep…


	20. Just What Have You Been Up To?

**A/N:** Just a warning, this AN may get a little long. I'm tired and cranky, so please, feel free to just skip over it if you want; I'm just doing a little ranting. As for the chapter, some people were curious as to what Remus and Sirius had been up to, so I thought I might add some things in, with a little Tom to balance it out. But the chapter flowed from my fingers, and so we end up with a whole chapter.

This may seem odd, and perhaps some readers will get annoyed with me for joining the ranks of those who do this, but I'm extremely cranky and more than a little pissed off. Just after I posted the last chapter, I received a review on chapter eleven. Now, I do still receive reviews where people express their dislike on what I wrote, but since I'm now eight chapters ahead and everyone seems to be okay with what is now going on, I pay them little attention other than to explain or answer any questions they may have.

This is different.

_Very disappointing that you go to all of the trouble to make Harry powerful only to have him raped here... Seems to me someone has some strange fetishes and likes to get them out on the computer screen... Lame Harry...very lame so far. A great series of contradictions that make no sense wrapped into a hybrid with a natural aptitude for magic beyond most witches and wizards...yawn._

I have no problem with criticism, as long as it's constructive. I have no problem with someone telling me that they don't agree or like what I've done, just as it's my right to write that, it is their right to tell me they disagree with it. But this…

I would like to make it very, very clear that I do not take kindly to such words. I may be a sarcastic and sadistic nineteen year old with a liking for slash everything, but to even insinuate that I _like_ people being harmed that way? That I somehow get off on people being raped and abused? No, that just does not go.

I did reply to the reviewer, but I've managed to convince myself that going on a rampage and reading all twelve of their HP fics, so that I can rip into them, is not what I want to do. I refuse to lower myself to their level; revenge may be sweet, but it can also be darn irritating. However, if they're reading this…congratulations, you made an enemy.

**Countdown to Ronald Bilius Weasley's Demise-- Five Chapters**

This chapter is dedicated to **Disco-Dancing on the Roof**, because she is the greatest reviewer of all time and somehow manages to make me grin despite the turmoil of emotions I'm currently experiencing. Hope the 'sex' never disappoints!

Also to **Bittersweet Alias** who makes me feel like I could own the world when she tells me I'm BRILLIANT!!

**Chapter Twenty— Just What **_**Have**_** You Been Up To?**

**Tom Marvolo Riddle**

Tom frowned down at another of the large, animated maps Harry had been making him. Fenrir Greyback and his pack were already setting up the wards required to keep them from venturing into public areas. A derivative of the Wolfsbane potion, one that required only a drop at any point before the full moon, would arrive within the hour. The day after tomorrow, the pack would be free to roam the hundred acres of woodland on the side of a mountain somewhere near France. All Harry's idea, all his planning, all his money, all to keep his familial pack safe.

Sighing, he pushed the maps away and leaned back, rubbing a hand over his face. It had been months since he'd had the peace of mind that Harry managed to bring about whenever he was near. He could feel, always there in the back of his mind, the insanity that being bodiless for a good thirteen years had brought with it. It hadn't worried him when he felt his own mind slowly crawling back to the surface; he'd thought he'd overcome the consequences of near-death. But when he'd continued to encounter Grey Shadow, and the fear receded just a little bit more, he'd found the comfort and safety he'd had no idea he craved. Harry had tied a large chunk of his own magic to Tom, saving him from driving himself into further insanity.

He had been aware, somewhere within him, that the false memory of Harry supposedly being harmed during Quidditch was wrong, and when Harry had tentatively contacted him in order to push the true memory of what had occurred while the Mage Merrick was there, he had been consumed by rage. He wanted, needed, to take Harry from Hogwarts, because being unable to fight back, being unable to defend himself and others to the true extent of his abilities was likely to cause a severe backlash. Of course, the Angels and Demons had retracted the order to not truly retaliate, but it was only a small measure of comfort.

His main problem now, was that he was worried Dumbledore would let slip what Harry was to the British Ministry, which could lead to them pouring all their resources into incapacitating him. And while that was good for him and his own forces, and it was not so good for Harry himself. He didn't doubt that Harry was very, _very_ capable of defending himself against the majority of attackers. But Dumbledore was crafty, and he came from an old Pureblood family, which meant that he would have knowledge of Hecatamae Spells, and their was nothing Harry could do against magic like that.

While his younger half was far more capable in battle, having been trained for it while at Durmstrang, there was very little doubt in Tom's mind that Harry would do much better in the shadow's, where his precious Nexus Blade could sing to its heart's content. The Ministry wouldn't give him even a chance for that. They would surround and blast him with the same Shattering Spell at the same time. And then Harry's own magic and blood would destroy him completely.

Standing, Tom strode over to the door and left the small study. As he walked down the quiet corridors, he caught a murmur of conversation and paused outside of another door. Hissing, the small onyx serpent emblazoned into the door twisted and turned itself into 'Strategy'. Another of Harry's ideas. Shaking his head, Tom quickly cast several spells over himself.

"**My friend, could I pass through?**"

The serpent coiled itself up and blinked at him. "**Of course, Speaker.**"

Nodding, Tom stepped through the door, passing through the wood as if it were nothing but air. Harry's magic seemed to have taken on a life of its own when he'd stepped foot inside the old manor. The house had taken to him quite quickly and the walls seemed to breathe, always willing to help Tom out whenever he needed it. Once he was inside, he quickly noticed the inhabitants as raised voices slammed into his senses.

Obviously someone had taken to using a poorly cast Silencing charm.

"NO!" Bellatrix Lestrange glared insanely down at a calm Remus Lupin, whose amber eyes burned up at her. "My Lord would never stoop to such low acts. Bonded to a mere child? You have lost your faith, Lupin!"

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Faith? Bellatrix, I never had any in Him from the beginning."

Tom pressed his lips together, amusement humming through his veins. _Did you know that Lupin is arguing with Bella over us?_

A jerk somewhere in the back of his mind told him that Harry had only just woken up, and that his voice had scared the boy. _What?_

_Did you just get up?_

_Tired. Full moon's the day after tomorrow. The whole pack is jittery._

_Jittery?_

_I just woke up! Do you honestly expect me to think of something eloquent?_

Tom let himself drift into Harry's mind, eyes opening to see rumpled sheets and a snoring blonde. _Exactly what time is it there?_

He felt Harry scowl. _Fifteen minutes until class...which makes it about nine...ish?_

Tom snorted, pulling out of the teens mind and watching as Bellatrix continued to rant about the many reasons he would not bond with a so called 'child'. Harry was no child, there was no doubt he'd had very little childhood at all. A slight change in the magic beside him had dark eyes focusing on the fully clothed Grey. Emerald eyes danced with silent laughter, even as they turned to survey the room.

"Well, this wasn't what I was expecting."

Remus blinked, amber eyes confused. But it was Bellatrix who latched onto the Assassin first. "You!"

"Me?"

The witch whipped her wand out, pointing the faintly glowing tip towards him. "_Stupefy_!"

Grey held a hand up, the spell slamming into the open palm and forming a red ball, solidifying and cracking into shimmery dust. "Tsk, tsk. That was not so nice, Bella."

"You are nothing more than a murderer!" Her voice reached an even higher pitch than before, even as she screeched at him. Tom winced and began thinking of the many curses he could use on her. "You murder our people!"

Grey blinked, his emerald eyes glowing within the shadows of the hood. He flicked his hand and a new ball of red magic shot from his palm, slamming into Bellatrix. "In case you failed to notice, dear Bella, my day job is _murdering_ people. In fact, perhaps even you are on a list somewhere."

Tom raised an eyebrow, even as he let the spells he'd cast fall from him, the insane woman paling and instantly dropping to the ground, attempting to kiss the hem of his robes. She paused in this, when she noticed he wasn't even wearing robes. The confused look on her face had Grey snickering at the witch. "I would be watching what you say around me Bellatrix."

"My lord," she breathed in a tone that spoke of her devotion to him. "I am sorry for my words to your Assassin," And here Tom distinctly felt annoyance drifting down their link. "But he has been killing more of us than them!"

He glared down at her, crimson flashing in his eyes. "Do not presume to know what it is that I plan!" He leaned down, hissing angrily at her. "You are not even permitted to be in this room!"

The witch gave a shriek before she darted from the room. The doors guardian hissing after her, "**That shall teach you, you insane shrieking banshee poser!**"

Grey snorted. "I'm beginning to think that maybe we shouldn't have given it a personality."

Remus blinked at him. "I thought you did it, Harry?"

A nod, but the emerald eyes seemed to go a little flat to Tom. "True, I helped with the magical aspect, the design was Tom's. But I am not the complete 'Harry', rather only the portion of ourself that makes us 'Grey' stands before you."

"You know," Remus mused looking at his godson with narrowed amber eyes. "I'm beginning to think I dislike the fact that there is such a clear distinction between the two halves of you."

Grey laughed. "Sorry, Remus. But I can't send my whole self here, Dumbledore has put a ton of spells around the dorms."

"For what reason would he do that?"

"The same reason you used to."

"Oh." The werewolf blushed, sighing as he slumped in his chair even more.

Sorry, Tom. The spells he's set seem more directed towards me, I'm gonna be late to class as it is, so I thought I'd come see if the plans I sent had made it intact.

_I still don't see why you didn't use Phanta._ Tom moved over to the large desk set in the middle of the room, several sheets of parchment littered over a larger one, which detailed a map of the Ministry. _And how did you get all of this?_

Grey moved over to him, his arm brushing along his and yet passing through all the same. "I was able to procure a complete map of the Ministry through my own experiences and the information the Spies have managed to collect. It should be enough to find whatever it is you're after."

He nodded, looking thoughtfully down at the diagrams. He spotted one that seemed to be highlighted and picked up the corresponding sheet of parchment. "The Magical Research Department? What's so special about them?"

The emerald eyes flashed and some form of anger moved through them before they became flat again. "Dumbledore has contacted that department, requesting any notes they may have on Hecatamae. The Council is currently watching all liaisons between them. We hope to intercept the information and destroy it."

Tom nodded again, glancing at Remus who looked as if he was about to burst with anger. "Calm down, Lupin."

The wolf glared at him. "I have places to be. I was only stopping here to hand you these. Lily said they might come in handy." He pulled a dozen amulets on leather ropes from his robe pocket. "She charmed them to be impervious to any Light spells. Use them on your best." With that, Remus stepped over to a marked side of the room and apparated out of the manor.

Tom blinked. "Well, he seems upset."

Grey's eyes turned back to him and he shrugged his shoulders. "He's upset that the Bulgarian Ministry hasn't done anything to help us out. The attack and assault of students should have been punishable by British Law, but it seems that Fudge is hesitant to do so."

"Right." He watched as Grey walked around the table, shifting pieces of parchment out of the way. "What's the plan now? And exactly what half, or part, of Harry are you?"

"The plan is to begin with a little bit of chaos. If the Light side believe they can get away with allowing their leader to pressure the Council into helping a side hell bent on destroying half the Guilds in order to defeat the Dark, than they are severely mistaken. And to answer your question," The Assassin didn't look up. "I'm a part of both our Hecatamus and Werewolf halves. The ability to separate a personality is rare, even among Hecatamae, but it is useful."

"You aren't the part that loves me, are you?"

Grey looked up then. "That must be hard to say, but the answer is no. I am the part that feels nothing. The only way we could be so good at what we do is to have a way to ignore the deaths. I am the part that allows us to retreat from the reality of our profession."

"I never knew."

"You weren't meant to."

_Don't take offence Tom._

_How come you never told me about this? I wasn't even aware you could separate your personality._

He felt Harry sigh and let himself slip back into the Hecatamus' body. _The reason the ability is so rare, is because it takes a great deal of power in order to do it. Even for me, the amount needed is extreme..._

_But you are already straining yourself._ He let his magic wrap around the teen, moving in and out of his body. He looked into his Core, surprised to see another large crack along the shimmering Shield. He directed his magic towards it, healing it as best he could. _These are coming up more often._

_I know. I think I nearly blew the shower up this morning. Mere was screaming at me about it. I honestly didn't even notice the crack until that happened._

_How can you not notice this? It's huge!_

Harry sighed, and at the same time Grey seemed to stiffen, emerald eyes flashing once more. Tom ignored that and focused more on the hairline fractures running all over the shield. _I guess I'm getting used to them. I never got them this badly until this mission._

_You never had to protect sixty odd people in a hostile environment._

_True._

_Harry? Can I see what's happening to your magic?_

Instantly Harry's Core vanished and what he could see from Harry's eyes, namely his dorm room, became a beautiful forest glade. There seemed to be huge parts of the area that had been removed from the colour scheme, now sporting a dull lifeless smoky grey colour. Harry was sitting on a rock, a metre or so above the slowly gurgling stream.

"Hello, Tom."

Tom blinked and made his way over to him. "Merlin, why didn't you tell me?"

The teen scowled. "I don't make it a habit to look at my magic everyday. Marci was checking me over when she noticed it. The cracks are beginning to affect the amount of power I'm able to access. It fluctuates from second to second."

He blinked. "That cannot be good for you."

Harry shrugged. "I'm dealing with it. Healing them all up takes time and patience, and I'm afraid I have neither."

"Take some power from Hogwarts."

"That's what I'm doing, in order to try and keep the cracks from widening before you get to them." Harry sighed, waving a hand through the air. "Anyway, I'm taking my little piece of me back, I have to get to class. Daniel is staging a mock fight between his friends and the pack. We should be 'out of commission' for the full three days. Are you coming?"

"Yes, but I'll need you to morph me. I don't fancy being the only human amidst a pack of Were's."

Harry grinned at him, waving jauntily as the scene vanished.

Once he was back in the Strategy room, Tom raised a hand and rubbed his face, sighing loudly. "Today is going to be a crap day."

With a scowl etching over his features, he swept from the room and made his way to the Summons Chamber. He had several raids to organise.

**Remus Lupin**

Remus rubbed a hand over his face, as he Apparated back into the Shrieking Shack. Lily looked up, forest green eyes searching him for any sign of injury. She'd never been comfortable with Harry's involvement with the Dark Lord but there was nothing either of them could do about it; Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord, was Harry's only life mate and the only person in the world who could help keep him at the same level of patience and kindness. If they took him away, or if Harry refused the bond once more, it was likely that the Hecatamus would simply turn completely into that part of Harry that was Grey, and merely kill all those around him.

"I'm alright, love."

The red haired witch sighed. "I know, I know, he wouldn't hurt you. But the others…"

"Bellatrix Lestrange was the only one who stopped me. She was upset that I'd been clearly supporting Voldemort's choice in companion. The fact I believe it apparently means I have lost faith."

"Faith?"

"She's insane," he shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't have to make sense."

Lily nodded. "What happened?"

"Grey showed up."

She frowned, glancing down at an old tattered parchment. "Harry is still in Hogwarts…"

"Is that the Marauders Map?"

She gave him a sheepish look. "Yes…"

"How'd you get it?"

With a sigh, she patted to spot on the lounge next to her and he walked over, plopping down beside her. "Daniel gave it to me. He believes it'll help in keeping his fellow Housemates from bothering our kids too much."

Remus nodded. "Harry said he was talking to him, said his brother was going to help get them out for the full moon." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "But it wasn't Harry who turned up. It was simply Grey."

Her eyes shot up in alarm. "I asked him not to do that anymore, splitting himself all the time cannot be good for him."

"Lily, love, he does it all the time. When one half has dominance over the other, he's technically splitting himself."

She nodded, letting her head fall on his shoulder as she watched her son walk into the Great Hall, his pack members following behind him. There was a small image of dragon wings and the name 'Phanta' stuck over the top of him. It was reassuring to know that his familiar was still able to be there when not in Hogwarts classes. When they'd arrived and been told that because familiars were illegal in Britain none of the animals could accompany their Masters, she hadn't known what to do. She'd argued and tried to plead their case, but Dumbledore and Fudge just wouldn't listen. Not that the two had ever even learned how to…

"What now?" She asked softly.

"I'll be going to Bulgaria, and I'll speak with Christof. I doubt Sirius will be able to persuade Fudge to charge the Weasley boy. And I need to see why he hasn't been replying to any of our letters."

"The kids haven't been receiving letters from home either. Harry said all he could sense was some kind of scanning spell. He assumed it was for curses or Dark spells."

Remus sighed. "It could be a spell designed to seek out traces of Dark magic. Most of the kids _do_ belong to Dark families. I'll see what's been going on." He rested his cheek on her hair, inhaling the beautiful cherry blossom scent that was completely her. "What have you got planned today?"

"Well, Hermione Granger will be officially joining us, Harry tested her yesterday on seven forms, it was only Necromantic magic that she won't be able to physically do, but she has the ability to understand it." She traced a finger over the large group of Durmstrang students who were once more sitting at the same table. "He mentioned that she had a good deal of power, just that she's never needed to access it all."

"Her Core is completely Locked?"

"Mhmm…he wants to help teach her to unlock it a bit more." A glance at the tiny watch she wore on her left wrist, made of pearlescent lilies, showed that it was time for her to head back in. "You'd best be going, if you want to help teach tonight."

Remus groaned. "I hate politicians, you know."

She smiled at him as she stood up. "Maybe, but we can't escape them, and you did want to be Headmaster, no one made you."

He snorted softly. "Yeah, no one but you and Harry begging me to do it."

Lily gave him a wide smiled. "Be grateful. Now get going."

He nodded, leaning forward and giving her a quick kiss before he apparated into Bulgaria, right in front of the entrance to the Ministry. The entrance was carved into the side of a rocky mountain, far away from muggles. Once you stepped through you were transported to the foyer, which was situated beneath the capitol city of Sofia. It was a genius piece of magic and had been in place since the 700s.

In front of the entrance, were two Pegasi Guards. The armour on the flying equines had been spelled visible, making them look all the more formidable, and causing their wings to look razor sharp, not that they weren't. Their riders wore slim clothes, spelled with the best defensive magic and they could wield both wand and sword at the same time. They were extremely well trained and to his knowledge no one had ever attempted to force entry and lived to tell of it.

He gave a quick bow, keeping his amber eyes on the two guards. "Good noontime. I am here to seek the Minister and to have a private word with him. Is Christof in?"

The guard on the right, sitting atop a chestnut with gleaming silver armour nodded. "The Minister is in. You may go through."

Remus nodded and spoke his thanks, walking between the two and through the archway, trying to fight down his nausea as he touched the ground in the foyer of the Ministry. Instant noise slammed into his ears and he winced, watching as witches and wizards scurried about, yelling to each other even as other carried noisy baby dragons or cursed objects. He'd never really gotten into the swing of things at this, the central meeting point for all Bulgarian witches and wizards.

Scowling as a witch bustled past, a silver rope swinging from her hands, he started off towards one of the many corridors leading out of the foyer. He couldn't remember the amount of times he'd travelled along these winding corridors, btu it had been enough times ti imprint the layout of the Ministry within his mind. The scents of the hundreds of employees drifted around him and he narrowed his eyes as he walked, looking for the Ministers.

There, sulphur and earth. That was Christof Krum's scent.

He turned right, following the new corridor all the way until he reached a locked door. To the right, was a device similar to a muggle hand scanning device. In front, Bulgaria had been adapting muggle technology for the last twenty years and many items that Muggleborns would recognise now had a common place in Wizarding households, let alone their buildings. He placed his hand on the blank screen and a green light engulfed it for a moment, before he heard the lock click and the glow vanished. He pushed the door open and stepped through, letting it fall closed once more.

The witch who sat behind the ornate mahogany desk smiled when she looked up. "Hello, Headmaster Lupin."

He smiled back at her. "Mrs Swiner, how are you?"

Annalise Swiner was Mere's older cousin, a part of the Swiner family who had refused to forsake their own kin because of something so trivial as a turning. The fact that Annalise's husband was a Vampire had probably helped with that decision. She still kept her own surname, since Heri had none to speak of, his thousand years worth of memories finally stripping him of that. Silver eyes crinkled as she laughed, standing up and coming around the desk. Her belly was slightly distended, the soft roundness proof of her pregnancy.

"I'm good! Heri sends his regards, although I would have expected Mere to of replied to our letters by now. We sent one only a few days after you all left, and yet, to my knowledge, no news has reached Bulgaria from Britain. Has something happened?"

Remus frowned. "No news? That would explain it." He sighed, before giving her a tired smile. "A lot has happened since we arrived. Dumbledore is more foolish and manipulative than I remembered him being. What's been going on here?"

Annalise snorted. "The British Ministry's Auror's have been insisting on coming to see the reparations to Durmstrang and Christof has managed to keep them at bay, at least for now. I had no idea the Council's Mages were so fast; the school is nearly halfway fixed."

He sighed. "They'll slow down a bit now, but if the British Ministry gains wind of this…"

"They'll either send you all back or try and detain the kids on the basis of them being Dark."

He nodded. "Yes, and it's something I'm afraid of."

She gave him a sad smile. "Well, there isn't much we can do about that. As long as the kids are aware of the dangers in the use of such magic over there, then you've done all you can. Are you here to see Christof?"

"If he's available?"

"Having a cup of coffee at the moment." She led him over to the door set into one side of the room, opening it up and stepping smoothly to the side so he could follow her in. "Mr Minister?"

Christof Krum looked fairly different to his son, Viktor. His nose was much smaller, though it resembled more of a Roman nose than anything else, and his eyes were a crystalline blue. He gave a friendly grin as he placed his mug down and stood up. "Zankyou, Anna. Remus! Velcome back, I trust zat ze British are treating you vell?"

Remus smiled back at his friend, taking the seat offered to him. "Hello, Christof. It is good to be here, but they aren't treating us very well at all."

"Oh? Vat have zey done?" He flicked his wand, a pale Heartwood and Pegasi feather one, and conjured another mug of steaming tea for the werewolf across from him.

"No letters have come through, have they?" At the confirmation, he nodded and sighed. "The last letter we received was the one you sent to Dumbledore, since then the kids have received no letters from home and the ones we sent you were never replied to."

"Ve have received no letters from ze students in Britain. Ve zought it vas strange, since zose at Beauxbatons have kept a constant correspondence. Vat has caused zis?"

Remus sighed again and rubbed his cheek with his hand. "Harry seems to think that there's a spell designed to scan the letters; he was assuming that it was merely to check for curses, things like that."

"Zen ze person who cast zese spells must be designing zem to ensure he does not notice zeir true intentions. Harry is safe, yes?"

Christof had always liked Harry, liked the way that one so young could have such an understanding of the world around them. Remus suspected that Harry knew a great deal more than he was ever going to let on, let alone admit it to anyone. The fact that Christof respected Harry so much was the very reason the Hecatamus had any say in what went on within Durmstrang. It was why he now Tested every student.

"Safe, perhaps. But…Christof…"

"Vat? Vat has happened?"

"Harry was attacked, raped, by a wizard by the name of Ronald Weasley. He used a combination of Hecatamae Spells and another designed to transfer silver directly into the blood stream. He was left for dead, and he very nearly did die. He was refusing his bond with his mate."

"But zat is dangerous!"

Remus nodded, a grimace twisting his mouth. "We know. He's…okay now, but he's not particularly pleased that nothing is happening because of it. An old friend of mine was the one to find him, Sirius Black."

"Ze Specialist Auror?"

"You've heard of him?"

"Yes, he vas ze only polite one to ask about ze Guilds aid. I believed him ven he said zat he hoped ze school vould be up and running soon. He expressed his vorry about ze safety of our children." Christof sighed. "I vill contact ze British Ministry. Zis boy vill be punished by zem, or he vill face our own system."

Remus slumped a little. "That's good news. But I hope we can come back soon, because I don't think Harry can keep everything up much longer. His ability to use outside magic seems to be fluctuating, and more and more of his own Inner magic is coming out."

"Ze shields are breaking?"

"Yes. If the British Ministry decide to take action against him…" He frowned and looked up into clear blue eyes. "It'll only take a couple of Shattering Spells before his Shields fall completely."

**Sirius Black**

Sirius scowled, only just managing to bite back the canine-like growl at the look the Minister's personal guard was giving him. "Just tell the goddamn Minister I need to see him!"

The wizard gave him the same blank look that he'd been getting for the past ten minutes, before replying in the same monotone voice. "The Minister is currently unavailable. Make an appointment at a time more appropriate for…visits."

"It isn't a visit!" He glared at the man. "It's about the Durmstrang students at Hogwarts!"

"Make an appointment."

Sirius let the growl go this time, smirking when the supposedly unafraid guard jumped a little. Letting his magic whip around him, he morphed smoothly into his animagus form. The man's eyes widened even further as the black Grim-like dog leaped at him, landing on his chest as the wizard fainted. Honestly, did they pick Auror's off the streets these days? Sirius morphed back and casually stepped over the prone wizard, tapping his wand against the locked door to the Minister's office and opened the door.

Only to see James Potter casually reclining in the soft leather chair across from Cornelius Fudge.

"James?"

"'Lo Sirius!"

James jumped up, a grin splitting his face as he made to grab his friend in a hug. Sirius sidestepped the movement easily, fixing the man with a hard glare. "Don't."

Fudge seemed to be fidgeting and he stood up, nervously clasping his hands together. "Specialist Auror Black, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

The wizard frowned. "I'd like to speak to you about an occurrence at Hogwarts a week ago which involved both a Gryffindor student and one of the visiting Durmstrang guests." He glanced at James. "Privately, if you don't mind."

James snorted. "Cornelius is already aware of the unfortunate…_accident_."

He glared at him. "I wasn't aware you'd been sucking up enough to speak on first name terms. And it was no accident."

"Of course, of course." Fudge waved his hand and heaved a great sigh. "James here has informed me that his son has once more become a threat, one which the Ministry intends to neutralise as soon as we can amass a team to confront him. One can never be too careful with a creature such as Harry…Evans, wasn't it?"

James nodded, his hazel eyes alight with some emotion that Sirius really didn't want to think about. "You're going to kill him? You can't kill him!"

The Minister blinked in confusion. "He is an Hecatamus, I cannot allow him to run about unchecked."

"But the Bulgarian Ministry--."

"Has done nothing." James shook his head. "He may be my son, Siri, but he's too dangerous."

"I can't believe this."

Fudge gave a tentative smile. "Do you want the placement?"

"What? No!" Sirius glared at the two of them. "You want to kill a _seventeen year old boy_ just to save your own arses? He was fucken raped by Ron fucken _Weasley_! Why don't you throw that damn red head into Azkaban instead of plotting the death of someone we could use against Voldemort!"

"Sirius…"

"No!" He spun around and stormed back through the door, not even bothering to step over the guard, merely walking over him. He quickly made his way back to the Atrium, throwing Floo powder into one of the fireplaces and shouting out, "Guild Council Proposition Chamber!"

There was a whoosh and he stepped out into a small, dusty little room. There was a plain door on one side and table and chair on the other. A winged Demon watched him with pure white eyes as he sat down in the other chair.

"For what, are you requesting?"

He took a deep breath. "I need to speak to the Guild Council in relation to the life and safety of one Harry James Evans, a hybrid werewolf and Hec--."

"--atamus. Yes, I see…" He looked down and tapped the book before him. "The Council has just finished a session. They are awaiting the arrival of the second Assassins Guild representative…" He looked up, a smirk curving his lips. "You may enter through the Door, place your hand on it and simply imagine the Chamber. Once the Door has changed, you may walk through."

Sirius blinked, even as the nameless Demon returned to tapping his finger on the pages of the book. Spidery writing made its way across the pages, changing colours at irregular intervals. He swallowed and stood, walking over to the plain looking door. Frowning, he placed his hand on it and tried to imagine what the Guild Council Chamber would look like. He felt a shiver of magic and the door changed, the wood smoothing out into an odd honey colour and the handle twisted before become an ornate set of wings. He looked back uncertainly at the Demon.

"Go on, they are waiting for you."

He pulled open the door to see a long corridor that seemed to open out into a large area. He stepped through and the door clipped his heels as it slammed shut. There was a murmur of voices and when he stepped into the open floor he was surprised by the twenty-two pairs of eyes that watched him calmly. An Assassin, with glowing emerald eyes, spoke up first.

"Specialist Auror Sirius Black, for what reason do you request this Councils attention?"

He swallowed again, suddenly nervous. He could feel whispers of power, shockingly powerful whispers, and was reminded of just how weak he was in terms of magic. "I have reason to believe the British Ministry of Magic, in particular the Minister himself, is plotting to bring about the demise of one Harry James Evans, a hybrid of werewolf and Hecatamus blood."

A blue-eyed Angel smiled at him sadly. "This is not a new situation for us. The British Ministry has tried before to end his life. How did you come by this information?"

"I went to see the Minister to try and persuade him to allow me to charge a Hogwarts student for the rape of Harry, only to find a friend, and the father of Harry, to be there. They tried to ask me to help arrange a team to take Harry out."

The violet-eyed Assassin shifted. "This isn't good news."

The two Spies snorted simultaneously. "Dear Genna--."

"Don't you know that--."

"Nothing to do with this Ministry--."

"And dear little Harry--."

At this the emerald eyes of the Assassin flashed and Sirius frowned as a memory wiggled around in his mind.

"Is never good news?"

The Assassin huffed loudly. "I can still say it, can't I?"

A Demon with harsh red eyes cleared his throat. "The problem now, is how are we to stop them from going through with this without having our own people within the Ministry?"

The grey-eyed Angel shook his head. "There are enough Spies and Mages within the Ministry to suit most of our needs, but we have been unable to get any onto active Auror duty." He looked down at Sirius, who was blinking in shock. "Of course, most Ministry workers wouldn't even suspect that fact."

"You have your own people within the Ministry?"

The emerald-eyed Assassin nodded. "There are currently nine Mages and five Spies situated there, spread through each department."

A gold-eyed Courtesan shifted, gaining the Assassins attention. "Grey, is it not possible for an Assassin to get into the Department of Mysteries?"

He tipped his head to the side. "Possibly. They could even infiltrate the Unspeakables, but to what end?"

Sirius was outright gaping now, shocked and pale as he stared unblinking at the emerald-eyed Assassin. He was Grey Shadow. _The_ Grey Shadow. "Do you know the Ministry has you on one of their biggest, and most rewarding, Wanted posters?"

Grey looked down at him and shrugged. "It doesn't bother me so much. It bothers me that they'd want to kill Harry merely because of his blood."

He blinked. "You know Harry?" His tone was sceptical because he couldn't imagine Harry ever even meeting an Assassin of Grey's calibre.

Grey laughed softly. "Yes, I know Harry, very well in fact."

"He has a mate you know."

Genna cackled to herself for a minute. "Oh, did you hear that Grey? Dear wittle Harry has a mate!"

The Assassin glared at his companion before turning odd emerald green eyes back to Sirius. "I am aware. But this meeting is so that we can find a way to keep the Ministry from harming him."

The blue-eyed Angel shook her head, blonde strands shimmering in the soft light. "It is likely that Dumbledore is behind this, which causes a problem for us."

A woman with blue grey eyes, sitting in a podium on his right, sighed. "If we allow it and do not retaliate, then the packs will believe that they are no longer protected by the Council. But if we do retaliate, the Light Lord will classify us as supporters of the Dark."

He frowned, glancing at the emblem emblazoned on the front of the stand. It was made of an odd pearly grey metal, and was of several animals twined around a stylised 'W'. Wolf, leopard, fox, tiger, and several others he did not recognise. Werefolk.

"Lonah's right. We cannot afford to allow those under our protection to come to harm. The packs will have to temporarily abandon their territories for now." A hazel eyed man wearing blood red robes sighed softly. The emblem before him and his female companion was of a large rune, one that stood for 'Mastery', which meant that they were the two Masters representatives. He guessed that the man was a Necromantic practiser, judging by the twisting rune over his heart.

Sirius shifted and twenty-two pairs of eyes switched to him. "I…I may be able to help, at least, with letting you know who ends up being on the team…"

Grey leaned forward. "You would be in considerable danger, Dumbledore is not a man to be trifled with."

"I know that, but how can I let him kill Harry simply because he was born special?"

Lonah nodded, her eyes soft. "We agree, and we would support him in whatever way we could."

Genna looked at Grey. "We support him also."

Two pairs of blue eyes both twinkled with laughter and the two Spies spoke as one, "We'll help him get in, lest we can do."

The two pairs of Angels and Demons, along with Grey, tipped their heads, eyes glazing over. They all shook their heads after awhile and the red eyed Demon nodded. "It's decided. But we will aid you in whatever way the Guilds can."

Sirius took a deep breath. "Then, Harry will be safe?"

"As safe as we can promise him to be." Lonah smiled down at him. "He is a cub to us, and belongs to my own Guild. We will not let him fall." Her eyes flickered to Grey, who nodded at her.

"Thankyou. I cannot tell you how much…well, thankyou."

"Leave the way you came, but place your hand on the Door and envision whatever place it is you wish to go. When the Door has finished changing, step through. We bid you farewell, Sirius Black." The blue-eyed Angel gave him a reassuring smiled and he nodded, turning to leave.

As he stopped before the Door, he couldn't help but let a secret smile spread over his face. Dumbledore and the Ministry wouldn't be able to touch Harry now.

**A/N:** Okay, I know Harry sounds like he's got…um, schizophrenia?…but, it works for me. I was always leading up to this, since his halves are more dominant at different times and we all have parts of our personality that seem completely separate to the rest. That's where the idea came from. You know, stepping back and watching yourself as a unique part of you takes care of a situation…okay, now I sound insane.

Anywho, I'm currently running on nearly no sleep and most of this chapter was sort of typed out during a Red Bull high. Well, that's my apology for what I seem to consider a fairly poorish chapter. However…enjoy!


	21. The Order of the Phoenix

**A/N:** I would like to take the chance to thank one of my anonymous reviewers, **Lisa S**, who pointed out a few inconsistencies that even I noticed when I read back over everything. I am looking into correcting a few things, bar one that cannot be changed now. And to another anonymous reviewer, **rune**, thankyou you very much for understanding the reasoning behind one of my plot points!

Oh, and thankyou to everyone, in particular **Gabriel Dragonheart** and **magickmaker17** (and yes, I do feel honoured!), who corrected me on my use of 'Schizophrenia' instead of 'Multiple Personality Disorder'. I was a little weird due to no sleep and way too much caffeine, so I didn't pick up on my misuse until the first review came through mentioning it.

**Countdown to Ronald Bilius Weasley's Demise--Four Chapters**

This chapter has very little Harry in it and is Mere-centric. Hope you enjoy it though as I need to explain a few things through the character my wonderful beta, **Jess**, helped influence. Onwards!

**Chapter Twenty One-- The Order of The Phoenix**

It wasn't as if Mere had never lied in her life, she'd perfected the art of twisting and disguising the truth at the tender age of seven, but her lies, and her ability to do so, now felt like more of a burden than ever before. She could make this all easier for Harry, help him exact the revenge they all wanted on Dumbledore. But it would be her who was facing danger every time she stepped near the foolish old coot.

Sitting there, in that office, trying to ignore the stares of past headmasters, she tried to focus on something else, something unrelated to all this. Her eyes landed on the empty portraits of the four Founders and the insane urge to smirk was suddenly clawing at her, because the Founders refused to stay put, even after they had forced Dumbledore to allow the Durmstrang students their own dorms. She pulled all of her childhood training forward, refusing to acknowledge the shiver at the memory of her parents.

Her childhood had been cold, with distant parents who cared more for their pureblood status than for the happiness of their only child. Not that they needed worry anymore; they had her younger brother, Adami, to mould. She felt sorry for the little four-year-old, not that she had ever met him, but she could fathom a guess at what he was experiencing right now. It still made her grimace when people reacted to her last name. Swiner. In France the Swiner family held a good deal of sway with politicians both muggle and Wizarding, not that they'd ever admit to even being near to worthless beings like muggles.

Honestly. Her parents were rather shallow in that way.

But despite any memories of an unloving childhood and obsessively pure-blooded parents, she was proud of her heritage. Not that she couldn't be a down right bitch if someone was to bad mouth anything to do with her family. Although, she'd been disowned, hadn't she?

"So," Dumbledore said as he steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them, peering over half moon glasses and twinkling his stupid blue eyes at her. "You claim to have information regarding the safety of a member of my Order?"

My, weren't we arrogant. Withholding the need to smirk once more, she answered him in a calm, yet clearly worried voice. "Yes, Dumbledore. I may not like you very much, but I'm not going to ignore the fact that I could save a life."

He watched her silently a moment. "What is this information?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "One of your Order members has been targeted by the Dark Lord. And I don't call him that for any reason other than the fact that I respect his power. I'm not Dark, so please, please believe me."

It looked as if the pleading tone, sincere eyes and the possibility of life saving information was working in her favour. When Dumbledore spoke again, his voice was kind, leaning towards grandfatherly. "My dear girl, I do trust you on your views to Voldemort; no one can deny he is powerful. But, we have dealt with him targeting and attacking members before, this shouldn't be too difficult to avoid. Now, tell me the name?"

She felt a vague brush of something along the shields of her mind and smirked behind them. He should know that every student who stepped into the winding maze-like walls of Durmstrang needed to have some skill in Occlumency and Legilimency, or they would go mad from the constant probing of the teachers. And it wasn't bad, not at all, because some witches and wizards naturally wanted to know everything about the so-called School of the Dark Arts, and so alumni were targeted wherever they went. It was handy to keep the secrets of the school from the general public.

Frowning, she replied, "But this isn't just Him doing it. He's contracted the best Assassin the Guild can spare at the moment!"

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, fingers stroking along his long white beard. The witch before him was quite obviously distressed and she _had_ come forward willingly. It would always be good to have someone so close to Harry. "And who might this Assassin be?"

It was crunch time. She could either back out and claim that she didn't have any information and that this was all a misguided prank, or she could put Harry in more danger. But he was risking himself protecting them, even if the Council was the reason they were even here. His shields wouldn't hold up much longer if he kept directing so much power into protecting them. Not that it mattered that they were no longer in the Hogwarts dorms. They were still in danger here.

She couldn't back out. So Mere chose the hardest choice. "Grey Shadow."

Dumbledore seemed shocked and maybe Mere got a little more satisfaction from that then she should have, considering the situation and everything, but the stupid bastard needed a good shock or two, preferably one that gave him a killer of a heart attack.

"One the Members of the Council? I was given the impression that he was not on the side of the Dark…"

"He's not," she said as quickly as she dared. "My cousin, Lonah, says that he accepts contracts from both sides of the war, but he'll only do it if there's a good enough reason."

He frowned at her. "You are getting this from the Werefolk representative?"

"Oui."

"And why is that she is telling you such things?"

So, yet again, Mere was going to have to do something she hated. Only this time it mainly had to do with her. "Lonah accidentally turned me when I was twelve. My parents are seriously against any mixing of creature blood, so I was kicked out." She shrugged. "I guess she feels bad, or something."

Dumbledore nodded. "Why is it you are telling me this, Miss Swiner?"

She frowned slightly, enough to give a confused expression, and besides, it helped alleviate the anger she was feeling at the moment. "Look, despite your obvious belief that we are all Dark and on His side, some of us just want to survive. I'm a wereleopard, and I freely tell you that," Not really, but it would help. "Because I have done nothing wrong and I'm not siding with the first person who claims to be able to free my own kind."

"Who is the member being targeted?"

"Some guy called McDougal. Apparently he found something important out about the Dark Lord. I'm guessing that if you don't know what that is, then he's yet to figure it out himself. Even I would put a contract out on him if he knew something about me and I was in His position."

Dumbledore nodded, still gazing at her over his glasses. His eyes were beginning to twinkle even more now, they had stopped for a brief moment when she'd mentioned Grey, and she was sorely tempted to just rip them out herself. The full moon was the very next day and she was in no mood to be dealing with him. She was doing all this for Harry though; he'd helped her out for the seven years they'd known each other.

Harry was, to the members of their odd little pack, a godsend. His ability to tap into the magical aura given off by their Were halves allowed him to keep at bay the more violent dispositions of the creatures. In fact, if he hadn't been doing that, they would all be suffering like Remus was. Even though Harry viewed his Godfather as if he was his true father, he was unable to keep control over the werewolf. Remus was a beta in his own pack, so Harry's wolf half refused to allow his Hecatamus half to involve itself in any way other than being a part of Remus' familial pack. It was confusing, because everything about Harry was divided in an oddly even way. His personality, for one, was mostly influenced by his Hecatamus half.

Unless, of course, one considered the way the alpha wolf had wanted so badly to attack Ron and his friends after the incident with the twins…

"Well, Miss Swiner, I must say that I am surprised that you have come to me with this information. I must thank you for it."

She nodded. "I don't want this war to continue any longer." She sighed and fidgeted nervously. Merde, she was good at this. "I just…well, the two sides…"

"Yes?"

"I don't believe His side can win," Even though she knew they would. "But the Light isn't going to accept people like me, are they? I'm a wereleopard, it makes me Dark by default."

She managed to make herself look glum; bringing forth the sadness she felt every time she caught a glimpse of Harry's shields. They were cracking, faster than Tom could help repair them. The sooner this whole thing ended, the sooner Harry would be able to take the time to fix them himself. During the time in which Harry had refused his bond to Tom, those cracks had turned into fissures, and they stretched over the shimmery magic, crisscrossing and making it look like some sort of muggle children's game. And it wasn't like they were going to stop. For the rest of Harry's life he would be dealing with them, always struggling to keep his chaotic Inner Magic from affecting the world around him.

"My dear girl, some can be different."

She looked up, pasting a curious look on her face while she inwardly cringed. "But…how can I do anything to convince people of that?"

And here was the big test. Harry needed instant access to the Order of the Phoenix. The Weasley Twins could get him more than he needed, but it took longer than he was willing to wait. If she could get into the Order, while Dumbledore thought of her as an inside spy to the Guild Council, than Harry would know the names and current locations of all the ones he could target and pick off. She just needed this old fool to be convinced.

"You can aid the Light, by joining the Order of the Phoenix."

And there it was. She quickly reigned in the need to gloat and blinked. "The Order? Aren't you guys the ones that fight against the Death Eaters? You know, saving people?" Not to mention killing or incapacitating those who refuse to think your way. "How could I possibly aid you?"

"If I was to induct you into the Order, Miss Swiner, you could use the information you gain from your cousin to help us in our fight. The Council constantly meets to share the information between the Guilds, which means that the Werefolk representatives would hear a great many things." He looked at her, peering into her amber eyes. "Are you willing to use your own family member to further the Light?"

No, but it wasn't as if she really was going to be doing anything to harm Lonah. "Yes. The quicker I'm free of this stigma, the quicker I can actually live life. But what do I do now?"

He gave her a smile, full of calculations and nothing warmer than a block of ice. "Tonight I will take you with me to a meeting, so that you may be inducted. You must be aware that we will have to test your integrity, so if you have any doubts…"

"I do not," she said it as quickly as she dared. "How could I?"

He nodded, his eyes twinkling even more and she _really_ wanted to hex them out, or maybe even cut them out, _very_ slowly. "Very good, my dear girl. Now, perhaps you should return to your classes?"

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Mere entered the DADA classroom and instantly felt the crackling of Harry's magic. Scowling at the smirk on said teens face, she walked over and slapped him on the back of the head. "What are you doing!"

Harry frowned up at her. "Amusing myself?"

"With your magic going haywire?"

He raised one finger and said, "Hogwarts' magic, Mere, not mine."

She batted the finger away and glared at him. "You shouldn't make it so obvious." She then turned to glare at Darren who shrank away from her. "And you should keep him from making himself a target!"

Darren blinked, gold and brown warring in his eyes. "Well, you see…"

She raised an eyebrow, amber eyes narrowed. "No, I don't see. What was so important that you forgot?"

Marci sighed and tugged her down beside her, pointing to a stiff and pale Ron Weasley. "He's busy terrifying Weasley. Apparently he _really_ doesn't like spiders."

"Really?" She turned back and peered at the red head. She snorted when she saw the small black creatures scampering all over the desk. "Joy, let's set his bed up with a big one!"

Harry rolled his eyes, even as he kept his concentration on his current toy. "Wonderful, Mere, just give the damn castle another idea." He shivered, finally turning to look at her with a curious expression. "How'd it go?"

Snorting, she tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and shrugged. "He's taking me to an Order meeting tonight, wants me inducted into it as quick as possible. But he said something about testing my integrity, which I _know_ won't go down too well, what, with my anti-Light sentiments and all."

He shrugged. "Won't really matter. As far as Fred and George can tell, more than half the Order have Dark tendencies, they just prefer the Light side. You shouldn't have much of a problem, but I can still put a shield up in your mind if you want."

Mere peered at him, scrutinising the way his skin was a shade or two paler than usual, the dark circles under his eyes and the way his eyes held a slightly glassy look. She shook her head, "No, Harry. Whatever it is you've started to do, I won't add to it."

He blinked and sighed, biting his lip a little. "I failed every one, you know that?" He watched as she sat beside him and he rested his head on her shoulder, taking comfort in his beta. "Here I am, putting you all in danger, and I didn't even think to plan ahead, or even try to anticipate Dumbles' possible moves. I let people get hurt."

She sighed and picked one of his limp hands up, fingers tracing over a myriad of scars she remembered witnessing. "You're not a Spy Harry, or a Mage. You're not used to having to worry about others while you work, so it's okay. No one has been seriously hurt, beside yourself, and none of us are going to hold anything against you. Some of us wanted in on this war, and you have the means to give us a way."

He nodded, though she could feel slight tremors going through him. "No one else is going to get hurt, I promise you that. I'll get him back for what he's done to us, for making this happen, for putting all of our families in danger because of their own views. I promise he'll pay."

Mere tightened her hold on his hand. She knew Harry would do it. She knew that the guilt from not protecting them would claw at him. She could only hope what she was doing would help him in finishing this.

Harry wasn't going to last much longer if it couldn't.

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Mere wrinkled her nose and wrenched her hand away from the grubby looking sock the minute the world stopped spinning and her feet were firmly on the ground. Throwing Dumbledore a look of utter disgust, she drew on all of her pure blooded pride and raised her chin a little, sniffing at her surroundings. The manor the Order was situated at was located within Scotland and if she had to hazard a guess, she'd say it was fairly close to Hogwarts. But she could feel the hum of magic all around her, even as she gazed up at the ancient building. Several muggles wandered passed, not one even glancing at them. So it was the Fidelius Charm.

How predictable.

She turned her eyes to Dumbledore and decided that playing some simpering witch, let alone a cowering feline, was not what she wanted to do more than once. "You people actually _live_ in this hovel?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly and she could feel the leopard within her hiss in annoyance. Thanking whoever had given Harry the sense to focus on clamping down her Were half, particularly tonight, she mentally steeled herself and focused on what he was saying, instead of how badly she wanted to rip his eyes out.

"It looks quite nice on the inside, Miss Swiner. We care very little for outward appearances. This house cannot be viewed by any but those allowed within, and who have been given the key by the Secret Keeper."

Mere snorted. She had been shown a worn piece of parchment with _'the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix can be found at Crystal Manor, Scotland'_, but she hardly considered this a worthy secret. "Didn't you ever hear that appearances are everything?"

He gave a loud laugh and she glared at him, following him up the path reluctantly. The old wizard was wearing purple robes with bright yellow ducks, or at least, they _looked_ like ducks. She wasn't entirely sure of his sanity when it came to fashion. No, scratch that, she wasn't sure of his sanity _at all_. The large double doors, once ornately decorated, if what she remembered was correct, were pulled open by a dumpy looking witch with a shock of orange tinged red hair. Mere blanched as she was reminded strongly of Ron. Then again, the woman had warm brown eyes and if she focused more on the witch rather than that bastard, she actually reminded her of Ginny.

When she entered the foyer, she groaned loudly, "What have you guys _done _to this place?!"

Crystal Manor, from what she remembered during the drilling pureblood family education in her childhood, had belonged to the Arelas family. They had held a great deal of power and sway over the political climate in their hey day, but that had declined when they could no longer have children and began adopting orphaned kids. They hadn't stuck to purebloods and in the days where Muggleborns numbered in only the double digits that meant they were shunted and exiled from the political aspect of the Wizarding world. But this manor had once been richly decorated, gaining its name from the chips of pure crystal embedded about the place, making the light bounce off every surface and effectively lighting up any area.

Now, however, there was a feeling of gloom about the house. The walls were washed white with dancing images of phoenixes and the furniture was plain and ordinary. The crystal shards were nowhere to be seen and it broke her heart to know that they could destroy such an honourable home.

The red haired witch blinked at her and made a light clucking noise. "We merely cleaned it all up. Now, be a dear and make your way into the kitchen, I think the others could use some help while I speak to the Headmaster. Just through there, that's a dear."

Mere shrank from the woman's touch, glaring at her as she was shoved through a door, which slammed shut on her heel. Wincing, she lifted burning amber eyes to the people about the kitchen. She wasn't too surprised to see Daniel there, and her lips curled into a sneer when she caught sight of Ron, but there was a myriad of seventh year Hogwarts students.

And all of them had their wands pointed at her.

"Oh, for merde's sake!" She whipped her wand out and flicked it, a faint brown shield springing up against her as the first curses went flying. With a sigh she waited for several minutes until they paused, obviously trying to find a spell to penetrate her shield. Not that they would find one, since the shield she was using was one Remus had dug up from the library in Durmstrang and required particularly Dark curses to break it. "Put those damn wands away!"

Daniel blinked. "Why are you here?"

Rolling her eyes, she thought she might as well keep up the pretence of not liking the wizard. But when she thought about, she didn't like him much anyway. "I'm here, because Dumbledore brought me here."

A boy with a Hufflepuff crest on his robes blinked at her. "Why would Dumbledore bring _you_ here?"

"She obviously didn't come quietly, no Death Eater would even step near the Order voluntarily."

"Funny," she wrinkled her nose, cancelling her shield. "I could have sworn Master Snape had the Dark Mark."

"He's a spy for us." Ron was puffing her chest out and she thought that maybe a pin would pop the desperate attempt to inflate his ego. "And he's not a 'Master' of anything. He's just a slimy git."

Raising an eyebrow, she shook her head and narrowed her eyes. "He's a Master of _Potions_ you stupid idiot! By Morgana, anyone would think that your lack of actual brain cells was caused by your hair!"

"Hey!"

Mere turned to see Ginny glaring at her from near the sink. "Oh," she said with a slightly apologetic look, she did like the girl after all. "Sorry, Ginny. I don't include you in that same category."

The witch shook her head. "Well, alright then. Ron can be a git sometimes."

The door behind Mere opened and she was pushed forward by a dark skinned Auror who narrowed his eyes at her. "Who are you?"

Mere blinked as he raised his wand and she stifled the need to scream. "Je m'appelle Mere Swiner, et vous?"

The wizard gripped his wand tighter. "Do not patronise me, girl."

She gave in to the need to roll her eyes and snorted, "Oh Merlin, don't tell me you people don't even speak a _few_ words of French?"

"Answer the questions you are asked in the language they are asked."

"Oh no! You people are _not_ taking away my heritage. You have French families here for fucks sake!"

She only just jerked out of the way of the faint purple spell he sent at her and her wand was whipped up and her own spell sailing towards him before anyone could do a thing. A flick of her wand and the brown shield surrounded her as a barrage of _stupefy's_ were let loose. She watched in a detached fashion, and a little bit of morbid curiosity, as the dark wizard hunched over in obvious pain. Thinking back, she was able to identify the non-verbal spell he sent her way as a borderline Dark curse, one that was designed to make your eyes burn if you so much as looked at someone who bled Light magic.

She growled and the low sound echoed around the silent room. "Fucken Auror's. All of you lot are _exactly_ the same! I was brought here by Dumbledore to help you lot! Not to get attacked by idiotic schoolkids and harebrained Auror's!"

Her Were half was clawing at the barriers Harry had placed in her mind, and she winced as the shield pulled strength from her own Core. That had been her own idea, so that Harry wasn't forced to siphon magic he could use for something else. Narrowing her eyes, she flicked her wand and the door slammed open, just missing the Auror, and she stormed out.

Her own aura was visible for all to see and it took a conscious effort to keep the darker aspects of her magic hidden. So it appeared to be a swirling mix of browns, golds and blacks. She glared at Dumbledore and the red haired witch, "So sorry to say this, but your Order is made up of delusional fuckwits."

The witch gasped, "Language, young lady!"

Mere rolled her eyes, the amber sparking in anger. "Oh pousser le, vous âgé sorcière."

Dumbledore frowned, the twinkle dying down in his eyes. "Miss Swiner, just what has occurred?"

She took a deep breath and reminded herself that this was as much for Harry as it was for her. She wanted in on the fight, and she could bring down this old coot faster if she went through with tonight. "First off, the kids you got in there? Idiots, the lot of them. I walk in and what do you know? They start firing spells off at me, weak spells by the way and I _really_ think they should expand their repertoire, I doubt the Dark Lord and his cronies," Here's to hoping Tom would never hear that. "are going to stick to soft hexes. Oh! And that Auror who went in?"

"Auror Shacklebolt?"

"Mhmm, he needs to learn to respect other peoples countries. French isn't an insult. He asked for my name, he got my name. I'm so sorry that he's so thick headed that he can't comprehend the fact that _French is my first language_!"

The red haired witch blinked, her mouth open in a shocked 'o'. Dumbledore nodded, a grave look in his eyes. "I am afraid, Miss Swiner, that you may encounter this a fair bit. Not since the first war have we accepted an individual considered Dark by blood."

"I know. Remus told us about his time in the Order. But if anyone so much as _looks_ at me wrong tonight, so help me, I may just rip their--."

"ENOUGH!!"

Mere blinked and turned to see a furious pair of red haired twins. A familiar set of twins. "Oh, not you two!"

Fred and George threw her a dark look, before they began to speak. "You know--."

"When we came tonight--."

"We weren't expecting to hear--."

"How a witch from Durmstrang--."

"Intended on mutilating our fellow members--."

"But then again--."

"We didn't expect them to be attacked either!"

Mere groaned, "oh sweet Merlin, I had enough of that at your stupid joke shop!"

Fred grinned widely at her, ignoring the way the red haired witch was suddenly looking rather fond of Mere. "Deary me, Mere, you sound like you really mean that!"

Her nostrils flared and her amber eyes narrowed just a little more. "I do, you nitwit!"

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Ahem, perhaps we should make our way into the meeting? I believe we have students who need to sleep tonight, else they not make their way through the day tomorrow!"

As she was led into the supposed meeting room, Mere couldn't help but feel a little more depressed at the apparent 'make over'. She knew that this room had once been the main ball room, and it should have been the most decorated, since it would have been seen more than the rest of the house, but it had been washed out in white as well. If these people didn't get over their fascination with white…

A large golden statue of a phoenix with its wings spread was the only decoration in the entire room. It towered over them all and small pieces of ruby had been set to create the image of glittering eyes. If she had to guess, she'd say that there was some sort of spell in them, probably designed to record any 'Dark' beings. But, she couldn't sense or pinpoint anything to do with obscure, subtle of hidden spells. She suddenly wished Harry was here to check things out for her.

The twins led her over to a seat, taking one on either side of her, which caused her to raise an eyebrow at the act. Fred leaned over and whispered into her ear, "We don't trust people here, best to stick with those you know."

She shivered, even as her nostrils flared and the odd scent that was pure Fred filled her senses; citrus and vanilla. It was an odd combination, but Harry said that Tom smelled like winter breezes and cinnamon to him and Harry loved winter itself and cinnamon donuts so it made sense. She loved mandarins, and adored the smell of vanilla anything. Merde, how was she meant to concentrate with her mate sitting so close to her?

Dumbledore smiled around at the group assembled, made up of both adults and seventh year students eager to fight. "This meeting was origionally called to discuss the possibility of enlisting the aid of one of the most prominent Assassins, and recent information has made this all the more important." He turned his gaze to a dirty blonde wizard who was watching him with slightly fanatic eyes. "McDougal, we believe that your life has been targeted due to some information you may possess."

The man blinked, before his eyes widened comically and Mere withheld the need to snort. "What?"

Dumbledore turned to Mere and nodded to her, obviously wanting her to explain. With a slight scowl, she sighed, wishing more than ever that she could be preparing for tomorrow with everyone else. "Apparently, the Dark Lord believes you have information regarding something which is important to him. He put a Contract out on you, specifically asking for Grey Shadow to be the one to complete it. My cousin, Lonah, said that the Assassin agreed and is more than likely planning your imminent demise as we speak."

Ron narrowed his eyes at her from across the table. "And why should we trust you?"

Mere opened her mouth to tell him where he could shove his trust because he wasn't even worthy of life, but Dumbledore cut her off. "Miss Swiner is to be inducted into the Order once this meeting is over. Her willingness to gather and use this information for the greater good will benefit the Light. She is trustworthy, Mister Weasley."

The rest of the hour long meeting was more than a bore for her. All they talked about was the movement of the Death Eaters, and where they thought Tom's headquarters could be. She almost laughed when they said he would never situate himself within the old Riddle manor, since he had abhorred everything to do with his muggle father. Maybe that was why he'd actually done it; no one outside of the Assassins Guild even knew, and that was only because Harry had gone on a merry Death Eater spree when he was fifteen.

At the end, Dumbledore once more brought up the subject of Grey. "I am going to request the Assassins Guild Master to allow us to have a meeting with Grey Shadow. If we can gain his help, perhaps we can stop him before he completes his current mission." Most of the adults nodded their heads and he looked pleased with himself. He then gestured to a door along the wall behind the phoenix statue. "If the older members and Miss Swiner could please make their way into the room behind me, we can complete the initiation. Everyone else, have a pleasant night."

Mere wrinkled her nose and stood, following along after Fred, who had apparently argued his way into the room. The room she was led into was a soft neutral grey colour, lit with flickering torches and floating candles. There was a dais in the middle of the room, where a golden perch sat to the side. On that perch, was a beautiful red and gold plumaged phoenix, whose burning eyes focused on her the moment she stepped through the door. It was unnerving, and she was reminded of the way Solisa would stare at her whenever she'd tried to nick something from Marci's trunk.

Dumbledore waved a hand towards the phoenix, who gave a disgruntled trill. "This is Fawkes, he is the only one who can determine whether or not a potential member should be allowed within our folds."

She stared at the wizard in disbelief. A fucken turkey was going to decide? Oh, how was she supposed to convince Dumbledore's familiar that she wasn't Dark?

_Does it matter what you are, long as the intent is true?_

She tried not to jerk as the soft, musical voice filled her mind. She blindly allowed herself to be led forward, to kneel on the dais beside the perch. _But if the intent is different to those around? What of that?_

_It is the intent I judge, not the reason or the choice._

_And if the intent is skewed?_

_Then the individual is refused._

Mere looked up at the phoenix, not believing that this creature could even understand. She was Dark, and it was an accepted fact._ Then refuse me._

_Your intent is not skewed._

_It is different to that of your Master._

_Dumbledore is not my Master. He is a means to an end._

_And what end is that?_

_Not the one you think I want to come about. You are tied to a Hecatamus; his magic is tied around you._

_And what of it?_

_The Hecatamae are Light creatures. They are pure in the efforts they give, and their intents are never skewed. They choose their clan members carefully, for they are the ones who give them the power to fight back._

_Clan members?_

_You are his family._

_But Remus and Lily--._

_Are his mother and his godfather. Not his family._

_I don't understand. How can they not be?_

_He does not protect them as fiercely as he does you. I have seen the others of his clan, and the magic is around them, but there are only a select few that are protected so greatly._

_He expends magic on us? I told him not to, he needs all he can get._

_It is not the magic you think it is. This is not External Magic. A Hecatamae can only control the chaotic nature of their Inner Magic when directed at their mates or clan members._

Mere blinked, her mind whirling as she tried to understand how Harry could even use his Inner magic without it harming him. _But how?_

_I will show you._

The world suddenly tilted and her eyes fell closed as she saw herself, Marci, Darren and Harry. Harry seemed to be muted, the colours around him swirling in a sluggish fashion.

_That is the effect of the drain this task has caused him._

_The cracks._

_Yes._

She looked at herself and saw the way her own aura was tied to Harry's by a single strand of magic, but that the myriad of colours that signalled Harry's magic seemed to swirl just above hers. A glance at Marci and Darren showed the same thing. Harry's magic wrapping around them, ready to deflect and defend.

_Look closer._

She frowned, the feeling oddly detached, and peered at Harry. Her eyes widened and she gave a mental gasp, surprised at what she saw. The magic linking them to Harry was not coming from the muted aura around him, which signified his use of external magic, but from the rich colours that were crackling beneath it. _Oh Merlin, you were right!_

The image faded and she was left staring at the phoenix, who looked oddly smug. _Of course. Your intent is to end this war as fast as possible, and to help aid Harry in his task?_

_Yes, of course. No one likes a war._

_Then you are accepted._ Fawkes spread his wings and trilled out a beautiful melody, which made Dumbledore smile down at her, along with twinkling eyes._ Be wary of the one called Merrick. He is in Dumbledore's graces, and is likely to attack Harry out of spite._

_I will._

Mere was gestured at and she stood, amber eyes glowing fiercely. Over an hour had passed in her conversation with Fawkes, and barely two hours remained until the clock struck midnight. Her and the pack would be struggling after that to contain their Were halves, and Harry would bear the brunt of the struggle. She didn't want to be expending any energy that was not required of her; she needed to help Harry in keeping the leopard within her contained.

She turned and fixed her sharp gaze on Dumbledore, the old wizards eyes twinkled even more and it took all her training not to snarl at him, before switching it to Fred. The Spy inclined his head slightly, though his bright eyes remained fixed on hers, steady, a plain refusal to back down. Her leopard purred within her, content in the knowledge that though her mate did not know of what he was to her, he would not refuse her. Amber eyes flicked back to Dumbledore and rage burned within her at the smug look on his face. He believed she would be a way of getting near to Harry, even as Grey. As long as he didn't realise that they were the exact same person, she had no problem in manipulating the old fool.

"May I leave now?"

Dumbledore gave her a grandfatherly smile. "Yes, of course Miss Swiner. Do you require a portkey?"

She glared at him, refusing to act subservient in any way. "No. I can Apparate back to Hogwarts on my own." Flicking her eyes back to Fred, she gave a small smile, "Au revoir."

Without even waiting for any of the members to point out where it was safe to Apparate from, she closed her eyes and pictured the Durmstrang common room before she vanished with a light 'pop'.

When she opened her eyes again, it was to Harry staring at her unblinkingly. In fact, she was pretty sure he wasn't even paying attention to her at all. "Harry?"

The emerald eyes flickered and turned ruby red, before they looked up at her. He stood, but the way he moved wasn't as graceful as usual, and his mannerisms had changed. "Miss Swiner."

Mere blinked. "Tom?"

He sighed and shook his head. "It is always curious when you call me by that name, I believe you and Harry may be the only ones."

She shrugged, "Marci and Darren do it as well. The rest of the pack prefer to respect your wishes."

"Indeed." He waved her down onto a seat opposite him where he sat before the fire. "Please, I need to question you about how you intend to make it to the Greyback territory without alerting Dumbledore. He is aware of your true nature now?"

"Yes. But I'll be going the same way as before." With a frown, she plucked a piece of fluff from her jeans, before glancing back up at him. "You know, it's unnerving to see Harry's face, but your eyes and mannerisms. Never mind the voice."

He gave a small smile. "Harry has retreated for the moment. When this conversation is over, I will ensure he is safely within his bed, before removing myself."

She nodded. "I don't think Dumbledore believes me to be a risk here. Maybe he's under the assumption that only werewolves are the most dangerous of the folk, or maybe he believes Harry will ensure student safety. Either way, it works for me."

"You are not concerned?"

Amber eyes flared in anger. "Of course I am concerned! That meddling old fool has done more damage _to the entire fucking world_ than any Light Lord before him! He makes you look like a fluffy kitten!" Almost instantly her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened. "Oh, merde."

A low chuckle echoed about the room. "Perhaps, Miss Swiner, it would be wise to retire?"

Mere swallowed and nodded emphatically. "Oui."

**A/N:** For anyone curious, Mere says 'oh shove it, you old hag' to Molly Weasley. I used an online translator so if it's wrong, not my fault!

And, oh my god, everyone look at the word count! Over 100,000 words for this story!


	22. Full Moon Rising

**A/N:** Allow me to take a moment to apologise:--

_**Oh gawd, I am so, so sososososo soso SO sorry!**_

Ahem, there, now I feel at least slightly better about how long it's taken me to get this chapter out. First I had a rather bad case of _Authoras Blockus_ which rendered my writing empty of all creative flair and made it look as if a seven year old had come up with it. In fact, it reminded me of when I _was_ seven and wanted to be an Author and went around writing short-sentenced stories about…well…nothing really. Anyhow, after that episode of writer's block, my laptop decided to chuck a massive spaz attack and went on the fritz (it's still _on_ the fritz, only now I can at least type on it as long as the battery isn't plugged in—apparently the battery is faulty and my hard drive is stuffed). And _then_, as if I hadn't been stalled enough, changed their Document Manager and I couldn't upload _anything_ _at all_. Seriously, I tried about thirteen computers, my own hard drive, my own external hard drive, seven different USBs—nada, zip, nothing.

Each chapter is going to be written and then posted, since I haven't been able to get ahead by much. I can tell you that chapter twenty-five will be titled **Demise of a Carrot**. My friend snorted weet-bix out his nose when I explained the reasoning behind that. I do so love my little Phanta.

I've also posted something in relation to this fic. It isn't necessary to read it in order to read this, but **SilverPhoenixRising** gave me the idea and it works. I guess you could call it a series of companion pieces. If anyone has questions and I can't place the answers into the story, or not as comprehensively as I'd like, you're welcome to ask for a piece to be written and I'll see what I can do about it. The title for it is **History and Drabbles.**

Also working on my own Original Fiction, which is taking up a little more of my time. Doesn't have a title yet, but if anyone knows where one could post an original slash fiction could you let me know?

**Countdown to Ronald Bilius Weasley's Demise-- Three Chapters**

**Chapter Twenty Two—Full Moon Rising**

Daniel shifted against the cold stone he leaned against, his hazel eyes flicking around before settling once more on the alter before him. He was standing within a glade of sorts that had been concealed along one side of the castle. It was surrounded on three sides by stone walls, one being the castle itself, while the fourth side was covered with creeping vines and a variety of plants that entwined and hung down to form a natural curtain. The roof was made of wooden beams that should have disintegrated long ago, but were held together by magic and more of the vines. It allowed him to see the sky as it lightened and the dull grey of the dawn became streaked with pinks, oranges and purples.

On the alter, which seemed to made of an odd sort of crystal, since it had been freezing to the touch and mist rolled off of it, sat Harry's familiar. Phanta's onyx eyes glittered as she watched him unblinkingly, her long tail wrapped around the alter and her gossamer wings held aloft behind her. He'd always been curious of the familiars who had accompanied the Durmstrang students. All of them were loyal and seemed to materialise out of thin air whenever their Master, or Mistress, were in danger. It hadn't happened often before, but something had obviously shifted and the creatures were no longer simply warning off attackers. They were attacking them.

The faerie dragon hissed softly, catching his attention once more. "**Ask whatever it is that bothers you.**"

Daniel swallowed and nodded. "What…what changed? You're all attacking us now, but before…"

"**We were forbidden. Our Masters were not allowed to fight back to their full extent, so we were limited as well. Now, the restriction has been lifted.**"

He nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. "How does one gain a familiar?"

Phanta tipped her head to the side, which made her seem more like a puppy when you added it with the now uncurled and wagging tail. "**You are interested in one?**"

"Just curious. Familiars are illegal here."

"**That could very well change.**"

He let out a shaky breath and nodded once more. "Yeah, because the prophecy is null and void because Voldemort has someone to love. Dumbledore always told me it was the only thing I had that he didn't, and it was a power I could learn to wield."

"**You cannot wield something unless you understand it.**"

"I never knew love after mum left," he shook his head, lifting a hand and pushing fiery strands back from his eyes. "But Harry knows love, and he has power that I doubt anyone understands. Does he even?"

"**Yes. My Master knows what he is, and has the ingrained knowledge from all of his ancestors.**"

"**And perhaps that is why you should be silent, flyer.**" A new hiss sounded from down towards the ground and Daniel backed away from the pitch-black snake that was poised to strike.

Phanta shrieked, forcing him to cover his ears and wince, before she launched herself down at the serpent. "**Betrayer!**"

The black snake twisted away, barely avoiding the sharp talons that flashed in the rising sun. It hissed and slithered between two fallen pieces of the wall, taunting the dragon all the while. "**Your Master is nothing, flyer, an insult to serpents and Speakers!**"

"**Your own Master will take your life, young one, for daring to even look upon this Hearer!**"

Daniel's head snapped around and his eyes went wide before he sagged with relief. "Harry…"

Harry narrowed bright, glowing emerald eyes, giving only a nod in answer. His eyes were focused on the now quivering black serpent. "**Do you think he would take kindly to you even daring to threaten the life of my familiar and my brother? Do you think he will reward you kindly for your actions?**"

"**My Master will not be disappointed, he wants the death of this one!**" The snake shot out, golden eyes wide as it faced Harry, looking deeply into his own eyes. "**Taste death!**"

Harry growled and his eyes flashed, turning completely gold before the black fur crept over his skin, the sickening crunch of bones echoed about the area as they broke and realigned themselves. The blue-black wolf raised its hackles; tail low and ears laid back as it curled its lips and bared its fangs. The snake didn't back down, it simply hissed and lunged forward, mouth open in preparation. Harry barely moved, becoming a dark blur as he snapped at the serpent, before pinning it to the ground with one paw behind its head.

Phanta cooed, before she landed on the ground, eyes bright as she watched her land bound cousin writhe about. "**Remember that your Master is not on his own anymore, he has his own mate. It would be wise for you to simply leave, perhaps even visit him, hmm?**"

Harry stepped back, growling as the snake hissed in indignation and swept away through the long grass. His emerald gold eyes turned to look at Daniel and a happy little whine echoed about the place, his tail wagging slowly. He gave a bark before trotting over and nudging the trembling boys hand. Daniel could only stare down, watching in a detached way as the wolf transformed back into Harry.

Harry gave him a small smile, gold still swirling in his eyes. "Sorry about that, Dan."

Daniel swallowed, eyes still wide. "S-sure."

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I really am sorry. But, let's forget about it, okay?"

"I can do that." Hazel eyes blinked and cleared. "So, what's your plan?"

"Well, you said you could provoke Weasley and some of his friends into attacking us, so the pack and I will be sticking together all day until it happens. But, Dan? It needs to happen before lunch."

"Why lunch?"

"Well, Remus is already gone, so is mum, because he has no control over his own wolf this close. The only reason my pack hasn't had the same problems is that I've linked myself up to them, keeping the violent dispositions of their natures controlled until it's safe to let go."

"You're…controlling them?"

Harry shrugged, "sort of."

Daniel frowned in confusion. "How? How can you control something like that?"

Harry smirked. "One, I'm their Alpha. Two…my own nature allows me to tap into their Cores, which gives me access to their Were halves."

The red haired teen shook his head. "I never did understand how it was you did things. Dad was always saying that it was unnatural, not quite right."

"He's a pureblood; they're taught to dislike anything to do with Hecatamae." Harry shrugged. "It's not that unusual, particularly here in Britain. You'll find a lot of the European countries view Hecatamae in a different light."

Daniel blinked. Harry almost seemed used to the hate, well, perhaps that was a bit strong but it felt like that to him, that he was given from the purebloods who knew what he was. He was uncomfortable with the knowledge that his older twin was simply sitting back and letting them whisper about him. For all he knew, they were even plotting against him. "And you just put up with it?"

The emerald eyes, still shot through with gold, hardened suddenly and it was as if everything about Harry shifted; his stance changed, his face became devoid of emotion, and when he spoke, the accent was not flowing as it usually did and his voice became cold. "I have my own ways of dealing with things, Daniel, none of which you need to know. Knowledge is a dangerous thing, and the majority of people in these Isles would kill to know everything I do. Going against them in public is folly, and I have no desire to end my life just yet."

"You work in the shadows?"

Harry's expression softened, his eyes glowing brightly, and a soft smile touched the corners of his lips, the Scottish accent once more lilting. "In a way, I suppose I do. Now, what can we expect from Weasley and co? And what role are you going to play?"

Daniel wasn't convinced that Harry was okay with the way people treated him, as if he were nothing more than a disease waiting to spread over the entire population. As if he was in league with Voldemort…

He wouldn't…he couldn't be….could he?

HPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLVHPLV

Tom stretched languidly as he watched Harry and his pack wander into the room Hogwarts had gladly created for him. The Exitus Door was gleaming onyx and was nestled in a corner of the room, behind large cushiony armchairs and a bookcase or two. He curled bare toes into the grass that made their floor and he barely kept the smirk from his face when Markus gave a contented sigh when he removed his shoes. Emerald eyes met his own, a stressed, yet soft, smile gracing Harry's face. Circles lay under his eyes, and he had a tired air about him, even as he walked lightly over to the armchair in which Tom had claimed as his own.

"Hello, Tom."

He held a hand out, pale skin melding against tanned fingers, before he tugged the exhausted teen down into his lap. "You look tired," he whispered into Harry's ear, relishing in the shudder that ran through his body.

"You would too if it was the day of the full moon and you were trapped within a castle full of oblivious kids."

"Ah, but you are not Greyback, I hardly see where this would be so bad."

"Fenrir does not turn children anymore. I was the last, remember?"

"And I still thank him for that, not that he will ever hear it." He brushed a lock of raven hair away from the closed eyes, noticing the way the muscles in his face, and the frown he'd only just noticed, smoothed away at his touch. "He did, after all, bring you to me."

"Humph. I don't think my wolf is the one who chose you. I get the feeling it views you as a threat more than an equal."

"Then I am honoured your Hecatamus half sees me as worthy of sharing your considerable life span."

"Oh, so you're only in this for the long life, huh? Figures." He sighed and let his head fall back onto Tom's shoulder, his whole body melting as one hand sneaked under his shirt and lay flat against his stomach, while the other threaded fingers through his hair.

Mere glared over at them, her amber eyes sparking with annoyance. "You two done? Some of us want to get this over and done with so we can hopefully get 'cursed' and not have to sit through _another_ class with Pothead."

"I assume she means James Potter?" Tom didn't bother to hide his amusement, even as Harry sighed. This oddly mixed pack and the Circle he had chosen himself, were the only ones who ever dared to speak against him, though the Circle did it considerably less than this lot.

"Of course I mean him! What, you think I'd dare insult itty bitty Potter in front of Harry?"

"Has she been interacting with Bellatrix lately?" Tom whispered into his ear. "Because she's the only one I know who says 'itty bitty'."

Darren snorted. "Actually, Mere, I'm pretty sure you have done that a few times. And didn't Marci have to heal you just this morning?"

"Shut up, Yealo!"

"Why should I, _Merena_?"

Harry groaned as a full-blown argument broke out. Marci was blinking, trying to figure out how it had come about, while still attempting to stop it before it turned into an impromptu duel, which had already happened once on the way from their last class. Soft lips pressed against his neck, making him shiver as his skin burned from the contact. He wiggled, smirking when Tom gasped and the hand on his stomach pressed him down, ceasing his movements. The fingers intertwined in his hair tugged, tipping his head back and bearing his neck just a little more.

"Do that again, and I'll take you right now, in front of your entire pack."

Harry bit his lip, waiting a moment before easing himself into a sitting position, Tom's hand falling from his hair to his waist, resting there as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He caught Karl's eye, the werewolf nodding at the silent command. Gold began creeping into Harry's eyes, and he very carefully lessened his hold on his friends' Were halves, being careful to keep at least some control. Almost instantly they tensed, a feral gleam creeping into their eyes. He blinked, and the world tipped slightly. The room came alive with colour, wisps of magic moving about them in an ordered fashion, but intertwined with it all was his own magic, both bland and sluggish and bright and chaotic. He was linked with his pack, and he watched in a detached fashion as the tendrils wrapped around them, a smaller one curling just out of reach. That one was his hold on their Were halves. He blinked again and the world righted itself and he became aware of Tom pulling him back against him.

"Are you alright?"

Harry nodded, even though he felt tired suddenly. He took a deep breath before looking back up at Karl, whose blue eyes watched him warily. "Do you have the spell?"

The werewolf nodded, pulling out his wand from a holster on his arm. "The spell will only work for about four hours if a normal wizard is casting it, and since we can't let Harry do it, we'll all need to do it ourselves."

Lucial blinked. "Why can't Harry do it again?"

Harry opened his mouth but Tom cut him off, narrowing his eyes at the girl. "Harry is tiring himself out simply by keeping you lot calm and in control. If you give him another spell to keep a hold of, you put him in danger."

Harry growled softly, his eyes flashing in annoyance. "I will not be in danger."

Tom's arm tightened around him, and a hand came up to grip his chin and forcibly turn his head. "Yes, you would be. You are tired, Harry, and it's a strain you don't need on both your Shields and your ability to access and control external magic. It's weakening you."

"He's right," Mere sighed. "Our flaming avian friend gave me the impression we need to watch you a little more carefully. We're tied to you, to your _own_ magic and the danger we are in here is forcing you to expend it on us."

"I don't have control of my Inner Magic, I never have."

She shrugged. "Maybe it's unconscious?"

Markus cleared his throat. "We aren't going to get into another argument over this, are we? Cos, far as I know, Potter's meant to be getting Weasley and his friends to curse us in about half an hour, and I'm not interested in being stuck here during a full moon."

Harry gave another growl, before he shook himself and nodded to Karl. "Go on."

"Now, this spell requires us to change the function of our bracelets, meaning that instead of reading our aura's, it's going to simply blank the gems and flash when we need to leave or risk transforming here. However, I've managed to modify it, so that the spell is cast simultaneously with a _portis_ spell. When the gems flash, we'll be portkeyed into the Greyback territory."

"And Harry will release any and all holds on our Were halves." Marci nodded. "It's the best plan we could have come up with. But what if Dumbledore is watching where we are? How do we fool him for three whole days and nights?"

"Quite simple," Tom gave a lazy smirk. "I cast a spell on six beds within the Durmstrang dorms, and summon a golem to wander about the room. Your classmates cover for you, and that old fool will not be able to use any magic to find you."

Harry frowned. "Hogwarts can keep the spells from being noticed until we arrive, since her and Fawkes apparently no longer side with Dumbledore."

Karl shrugged. "Whatever works. Long as I don't have to stay in this godforsaken castle for the full moon, I don't care if we have to _imperio_ every single person here."

"Interesting," Tom whispered into Harry's eyes, making him shiver. "Are you sure he doesn't want to become one of our Death Eaters?"

Harry laughed softly. "Very. Karl will probably be picked up by a Necromancy Master soon, I know Vero's interested in him."

He hummed, his arm squeezing lightly before he reluctantly let go. "You'd better do this spell. I'll go and charm the beds, and set a timer on them."

Harry nodded, standing and turning around to face his mate who watched him with crimson hued brown eyes. "Are you staying there?"

Tom smiled softly, standing up and lifting a hand to lightly touch Harry's arm. "Yes, I won't be getting any for three days, I think I might stock up, hmm?"

Harry laughed, shaking his head and waving him off. "Sure, Tom, it's not like I can't choose to remain human for the full moon or anything, now is it?"

"For one, you aren't human like the rest of us. And an alpha stays in charge of the pack, doesn't he? You may belong to the Greyback pack because of Remus and Fenrir, but they do not."

Harry scowled at the mention of his unique status, but shrugged at the rest. "I know. But, hey, if you get desperate, I don't see why I can't just find a secluded spot and shift back."

Tom nodded, "true. I'll see you later. Make sure Potter goes through with his end."

"He is trustworthy, you know, and he isn't your enemy anymore."

Tom shrugged, tapping himself with his wand. Even though he turned invisible, Harry could still see him outlined in a faint shimmery silver colour. He watched him walk through the door, before turning back to the others. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "I guess we should move on with this?"

Darren snorted, "Gee, look, he's suddenly gained the gift of the obvious!"

Mere blinked. "That doesn't…make sense."

Karl rolled his eyes, touching the tip of his wand to the amber coloured gem on his bracelet. Although the bracelets they all wore looked to be silver, and the rest of the three years at Hogwarts really did have that, theirs were made from platinum. Mere's was a soft, pale blue, Marci's a stormy grey and Darren's a deep violet. Lucial's was forest green and Markus' was a pearlescent white. Harry's however, changed frequently and couldn't settle on any one colour, reflecting his aura so perfectly. His Inner Magic was chaotic, his aura a mix of that and any external magic he used, so he was never surprised to see the gem flash between one colour and the next in a matter of seconds.

He watched as the others each cast the spell onto their own bracelets, his eyes carefully noting the appropriate colour of the spell and the way the magic moved before it settled where it was intended. Taking a deep breath, he tugged at the air around him and a rush of warmth had his eyes flashing brightly and his body humming in tune with the magic of Hogwarts. He touched the bracelet, letting one finger rest over the gem, before it glowed a soft orange colour. His gem was now just as blank and empty as the rest of his pack.

He looked up, a small smile playing over his lips. "Let's go face Weasley, shall we?"

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Harry stiffened when Phanta suddenly dug her talons into his hair, her wings lifting from beside his ears and her tail uncurling from around his neck. Her hissing filled the air, but it was nonsensical sounds and was purely as a display of her anger. He did, however, catch her murmuring 'Carrot Headed fool', which only served to make the other familiars snort with laughter in some way. Ferio almost instantly began to growl, even though he stayed by Mere's side. They had told their familiars that the curses weren't likely to harm them even a little, but that they needed to have people believe they _had_.

"Hey, Evans!"

Harry turned around slowly, eyes flashing with barely concealed rage when his gaze landed on Ron. Everything in him strained and it was only Tom's whispering that kept him from lashing out. "Weasley. To what do we owe this pleasure?"

Daniel shifted behind the group facing them, which consisted of Ron and the same three that had attacked Harry, his hazel eyes watching every move that Harry made, noting the way his actions mirrored a predator waiting patiently for the kill.

Ron grinned, "Ah, pleasure. Care to give us another go?"

Darren growled, his dark eyes shifting to gold. "Get lost, Weasel, we don't have time for vermin like you!"

Ron casually raised his wand, the tip flowing a faint yellow. "Ah, but you do. In fact, you lot are gonna have plenty of time on your hands. _Perisdraci mormentai!_"

Harry reacted immediately, a blue shield rising before them, one that would not stop the spell at all, while his own magic reached out, breaking from his own Shields and wrapping around his companions. The spell broke through the shield and split into seven before it slammed into each of them, throwing them backwards and into the wall behind them. Dimly, through the sounds of laughter, Harry heard a small gasp and barely registered it as his own pain filled one.

Just like it was meant to, the bracelets they wore alerted the other Durmstrang students that they had been attacked. Almost as one, the entire seventh year converged on the corridor they were in, pushing Ron and his cronies back with painful hexes. With careful movements, they were lifted and carried into the Durmstrang dorms.

Marci was the first to shake off the effects of Harry's magic, which had caused them all to become drowsy as it took energy from them in order to deflect the curse. She was going to have to make sure he never did that again. Using his own Internal Magic was a chance he should never have taken; the backlash had certainly harmed him. She watched as Tom carefully woke him, worry creasing his brow even as Harry finally awoke.

"Wah?"

Tom smiled, relief spreading over his features. "Never, _never_ do that again to me, you hear me?"

Harry blinked, his emerald eyes highlighted with lazy swirls of gold. "…okay?"

Tom shook his head, fingers trailing down over Harry's cheek, before his cupped his head and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, one that made something in Harry keen with sadness. Resting his forehead against Harry's, tom spoke, his voice soft. "How long until you can all leave?"

The Exitus Door, which Harry had carefully summoned into being along one of the dorm walls the night before, opened and a violet eyed women stepped through, her clothing announcing her as a member of the Assassins Guild. She cleared her throat and eight pairs of eyes landed on her. "Grey?"

Harry shifted, hands shaking slightly as he pushed tom gently back. "Genna? What are you doing here?"

The Assassin gave an audible sigh of relief, before she sent a bright smile his way. "They sent me over, something about you acting foolish again?"

Harry snorted, his emerald eyes lighting up with amusement. "Nothing too unusual about that, then. So why did you really come?"

Genna sighed, crossing over to stand by him, her violet eyes watching Tom carefully. "The Spies have heard some rumours, ones that could be dangerous for you."

"And you chose the day of the full moon for what reason?"

"Because I have my own targets to move after, and this is the only time I'll be available for awhile." She crouched down, and pinned both Harry and Tom with her intense gaze. "The Light is beginning to move, and we think they may be planning an attack, though we aren't entirely sure yet. The Ministry has redeveloped their interest in Hecatamae and the Research Department has begun to extend its feelers. They're gathering information again, and paying pureblood families a good deal of money for whatever they have." She shook her head, dark blue-black strands of hair whipping about. "It isn't safe here Grey, it never was. This isn't the place for an Assassin."

There was a soft gasp. Marci frowned while Mere rolled her eyes as Lucial stared at them. "Assassin?"

Darren blinked, before he shrugged. "What does it matter? It just mean we'll have more of a chance if we ever have to fight. Who cares if Harry isn't just a part of the Werefolk Guild?"

Lucial shook her head. "But…but…"

Tom narrowed his eyes, crimson flashing within them. "Do you have a problem with that, Miss Marnah?"

The girl paled, lilac eyes widening. "N-no."

Harry shook his head, one tanned hand rising to grab hold of Tom's robes, yanking him down for a quick kiss. "You need to lay off my pack, Tom."

Harry's voice was barely above a growl and there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. It made Tom think before he answered the teen beneath him. "I apologise."

Harry nodded and pushed him off before he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "What else was there, Genna?"

The Assassin shrugged. "Nothing, really. I just wanted to see how you were holding up. No harm in that, is there?"

The Hecatamus snorted. "Right. Well, we need to be leaving, and I believe you said you had targets to find?"

Genna smiled at him. "Let me know what's going on with your contract; I'm willing to help you out on this one." She stood and waved jauntily to Tom, before laying a hand on the Exitus Door, which shuddered and turned into a stone door with an obscure rune etched into it. "Ciao!"

Harry sighed when the violet-eyed Assassin finally left, before he stood up, gingerly stretching and wincing as his muscles screamed in protest. "Well, let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

It took them almost an hour to make sure that the other students understood that no one was to enter the room until they returned in three days time. Some of the fifth years grumbled about it, but sharp looks from Laura had them all silencing those protests. Changing from the casual clothing they'd been wearing, and the standard black cloak they all wore, they slipped into the loosest possible clothing. The others knew that when Harry released their Were halves, the transformation would be brutal and more painful than it usually was.

Looking around the room, Tom could see the lines of worry etched into the packs faces. They could joke and tease and pretend all they wanted, but they were just as worried as he was for how the coming backlash of magic would effect Harry. It was a fear he would never admit to anyone except the younger teen, and when he'd seen him laying on the bed, pale against the black sheets, his heart had almost broke and the need to lash out had welled up so fast…

…but then those beautiful emerald eyes had fluttered open and everything had righted itself again.

He watched as Harry spoke to one of the smaller fifth years, placing a thin gold chain in the youth's hand, before he wrapped the tiny boy in a hug, the small frame shaking. Curious, he stepped over and leaned down to whisper in his ear, "what's this?"

Harry tipped his head to the side and blinked worried eyes. "He was bitten."

"What? How?"

"I don't know. I never even noticed that he had been until just a second ago." He pulled back and tipped the youths face up. "This is Akael, Tom. He hasn't got a family, the school took him in as a ward a year or two ago."

Akael blinked amber eyes and Tom caught a flash of blue around the irises. Irritation rose within him at the protective way Harry held him close, but he had to remind himself that Harry was not a normal wizard; he wasn't a wizard in the first place. His Hecatamus half would demand the expansion of his clan, and as an alpha werewolf he would be inclined to take charge and defend any nearly turned cub. Because that was what Akael was; a cub.

"Hello, Akael."

The boy blinked up at him, and allowed Harry to link the gold chain around his neck. Hanging from the thin metal, was an onyx wolf superimposed on top of a ruby eye. A symbol, their symbol, their crest of sorts. "Hello," his voice was tiny, soft and most definitely frightened.

Harry's pack has just gotten a little bit bigger.

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The moment their feet hit the ground, Harry was barking out orders. "I want you guys to stick together, no wandering off until I snap the holds, alright? I don't care if you want to go visit anyone, Lucial, you stay near me!"

Mere raised an eyebrow, her amber eyes flashing. "Yeah, Lucial. Stay near him, you don't want all the other dominates to think you're alpha-less, now do you?"

Lucial paled, her jaw snapping shut with an audible click and her retort dying in her throat. She nodded her head shakily, her lilac eyes shifting away from the piercing glare Harry was giving her.

"Right," Harry clapped his hands. "The moon rises in about an hour, so I suggest we go and get ourselves some food and some of that _wonderful_ potion."

Tom snorted. "It isn't that bad."

Emerald gold eyes flicked to rest on him. "Ever tasted it? No? Right then, no right to even comment."

Mere openly laughed about that. "Come on, Harry, play nice with the big bad Dark Lord, you never know, he might decide to _crucio_ you!" She paused at the sharp look Harry gave Tom, before he switched it to her. "He hasn't, _has he_?"

Tom's dark eyes scanned around them, picking up on the signs of other, still human, werefolk moving through the trees around them. Harry stiffened, his angry glare not even working to shut his adopted sister up.

"Tom?!"

He looked back, startled to find the wereleopard a few feet from him and surprised by the way her tanned skin was beginning to sprout gold and black fur. "Once."

"_What?!_"

Harry growled, the sound more assertive than he'd ever been with Mere, and his eyes flashed, the gold receding and the emerald darkened until it looked almost black. "Back off, Mere. It was one time and it was before_ everything_!"

She blinked. Harry had never, ever, sounded threatening with her; he'd always given her some leeway because she had helped him so many times in the past. But then again, she'd never seen that dark and menacing look in his eyes before. "O…kay, then. Sure, whatever."

Marci sighed. "Why don't we go get this potion, hmm? The moon isn't going to wait for us."

Tom settled in beside Harry, his pale fingers curling around Harry's tanned ones. "Harry?"

"Not talking about it, Tom."

He raised an eyebrow, tugging Harry until they were secluded within the tree line. "And why not?"

Harry glared at him. "Because I'm not in the mood?"

"I doubt that."

"How about you stop asking and we get this over with?"

Tom shook his head. "No, I don't think so."

Tom backed Harry up, until he was pressed against the smooth trunk of a tree. Grabbing a hold of the hands that came up to push him away, he quickly whispered a spell he knew Harry hated hearing, a Hecatamae Binding Spell. He leaned in, biting lightly at Harry's ear, relishing the low moan the action drew out. He moved his lips down onto his neck, grinning before he bit down as hard as he dared.

"Oh, fuck."

He snorted, "in the mood yet?"

Harry's lust darkened eyes narrowed at him. "Bastard. Complete and utter bastard. And kinky, far too fucken kinky for your own damn good, Tom."

He merely raised an eyebrow, completely unaffected. He'd heard it all before, gone through the same motions of forcing Harry to talk about something. Of course, the sex before and after was merely…added enjoyments. "You've never complained before."

"That would be because I usually _enjoy_ being manhandled and bitten by you. At the moment, however, I really am not in the mood."

Tom nodded, even though his body was humming and pure desire was pooling at the base of his spine. "Then talk to me, actually tell me things. I will not loose you because of the stupidity the Guild Council has shown in sending an _Assassin_ to spy on Dumbledore. Please, Harry, do not push me away again."

A familiar flash of pain shot through Harry and he sagged into the invisible bonds. He had already done the unthinkable once and he had felt nothing but pain and fear then. He couldn't do it again. "Alright, but release me first."

"But I like you like that."

Harry shook his head as his arms fell back down. "You really do get off on torture, don't you?"

"What?" Tom gave him a confused look. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"Never mind. Now, can we go get this blasted potion?"

"You don't need the potion."

"I'm going to be releasing my hold on my pack, Tom, I'm not gonna be able to control that half of me. Can't you tell?"

He sighed, he could tell that Harry was fighting a loosing battle, had been for almost a week. His Hecatamus half was naturally submissive, quiet, more of a planner than full of brash actions. His werewolf half on the other hand…well, it was an alpha, it would dominate others around it and perhaps, and this made him sigh in exasperation whenever he thought of it, it was the reason why Harry had always been capable of fooling him into thinking he had but one personality. He'd never seen Harry as Grey in the presence of anyone but himself, and the Assassin had always reacted purely through his emotions.

Because he was Harry's mate.

And now he knew that Grey Shadow was made up almost entirely of his Hecatamus half; calm, rational, utterly silent and efficient.

He stepped forward, raising a hand and tugging on a fistful of raven hair. Harry allowed his head to tip back, calmly bearing his neck. Tom was doing this on purpose, not to undermine Harry's role as alpha, but to emphasis his own role in their relationship as the dominant. " I know, Harry. But change me first, I won't let you do this on your own."

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Harry grimaced as he felt the single drop of potion slide down his throat. The taste was utterly disgusting, nothing short of the faeces from various creatures. His main problem, was the potion worked on ones magic, and since his was chaotic…he'd only ever taken this once, and Remus had banned him from ever doing so again. But he had no choice. He glanced over to his pack, feeling their anxiety thrum through him. Lily was calmly petting the top of Remus' head, soothing his own shot nerves. And Tom…

Tom stood stubbornly beside him, already changed into an average sized Arctic wolf. His white coat was highlighted by bands of blue-black around his legs, and his eyes were a horrifying blood red. But his tail wagged slowly and his eyes never left Harry, watching as the potion suddenly slammed through his system, sending him to his knees as he gasped for breath.

Harry shook his head as he felt the potion rip through all of his defences, every wall he had ever erected against poisons, everything he had worked towards building and perfecting, as if it had never been there at all. Desperately, he reached out with his magic, his eyesight shifting until he could see the tendrils of magic joining pack members to their alpha, as well as each other. His connection to his pack was strong and solid, but towards his familial pack…he'd never spent enough time with the Greyback pack to solidify that one.

He tugged on the connection, finding the tight grasp his magic had on them and pulling as hard as he could. The resounding _crack_ had them all jumping, but as the rays of the moon finally bathed them in silvery light, his skin rippled and blue-black fur sprang up, his bones creaking as they snapped and realigned themselves.

Moments later, he tipped his head back, a mournful howl leaping into the chilled night air, joined by dozens barely half a second later.

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Tom had only ever run with Harry once before, during the first few months of their relationship. He'd noticed, after one full moon had slipped by, that his mate hadn't transformed, hadn't even reacted to the all-important trio of nights. He'd demanded that the Hecatamus not put himself in danger by refusing the call and Harry'd only laughed at him…

_FLASHBACK_

Harry snorted, a laugh slipping past his lips. "I beg your pardon?"

Tom glared down at him. "I will not have a consort of my own--."

Harry snarled, leaping forward and pinning Tom on the ground. "_Consort?_" His eyes flashed, gold suddenly flaring within them. "I promise you, _Lord Voldemort_, that I am not so simple a being to lay quietly beneath you while you call me such _degrading_ names to my face. _Correct yourself!_"

Crimson eyes narrowed. "You are out of your place!"

"I am right where I am meant to be. I am two halves of two distinctly different creatures, do you _really_ want to know what I am _dying_ to do to you right now?"

Tom stiffened. "You wouldn't," he breathed, a faint tendril of cold fear worming through him.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Call me such things again, and I won't even hesitate to go through with them."

"But to deny the moon…"

"Has no ill effects on me. I am more Hecatamae in that respect. The full moon has a _magical pull_ over Were's." Harry sent him a look that was almost withering. "I ignore that pull, and exert my own influence over that half of me."

Tom could do little more than blink. Here he was, with a fifteen-year-old boy who had shared his bed for months now and occupied his thoughts for a little under a year lying on top of him, pinning him down, and he was arguing about _the moon_?

Harry almost seemed to sense that thought and one dark eyebrow rose in an elegant gesture he'd already begun to recognise as a way for the teen to show his curiosity without allowing his magic to seek the answers.

Taking a deep breath, knowing that what he was going to say was very, very odd and very, very out of character. But he didn't care. "Show me."

"What?"

He snorted, an action which seemed to make Harry pause more than his request. And it was that, a request, he wasn't going to give up until he had it. "I want to _see you_, that half of you. I've already seen your Hecatamus half, the part that bows to me, but I want to see the one that fights against me, the part that gives you all that delicious spirit."

Harry wrinkled his nose, sitting up and straddling his hips, quite obviously ignoring the contradictory evidence of what Tom wanted pressing against him. He cocked his head to the side, and the sluggishly swirling gold in his eyes parted suddenly and his eyes flashed a deep emerald, so dark he'd swear it was almost black. But then they flashed again, the gold almost obliterating the green and fur began to swell over his skin, his bones melting with minimal crunching, something that was odd for him considering how many times he'd watched werewolves transform.

But Harry was different. He was completely and utterly in control here. He was going to have to remember that.

In a moment, a flash, a second, the subtle and powerful Assassin had smoothly transformed into a wolf. He was smaller than most dominates Tom had ever seen, and he supposed that was where the Hecatamus influence bled through, and his coat was silky blue-black fur that caught and both swallowed and reflected the light from the sun as it drifted in through the window. He gave a huff, which sounded distinctly like laughter as he laid himself down over Tom's chest, resting his head on crossed paws and peering into crimson hued eyes.

When he raised his hand, it was shaky and there was nothing he could do to stop it; he was in awe. He stroked the fur on Harry's side, before his fingers moved up to pet the velvety fur of his ears. "You are beautiful."

The wolf yipped softly, his tail beginning slow, sweeping motions over Tom's legs. The emerald gold eyes were almost shining with joy and, for a moment, he wondered why Harry seemed to be under the impression he wouldn't have approved of him, or that he would have pushed him away. He was a Dark Lord; Dark creatures were hardly new to him.

He felt a ripple of magic and than his fingers were intertwined in soft raven locks and those eyes were watching his every movement like the hunter, the predator, that Harry really was.

"Thankyou."

"I didn't do it just for you," Harry tipped his head to the side. "Do you know how much it pains a Hecatamus to keep such a large secret from their mates?"

Tom blinked up at him. "No, I'm afraid that the information I have thus far managed to find is rather blatantly biased against your kind. Something about wars and one-sided battles in which more wizards died than Hecatamae."

Harry inclined his head, agreement shining in his eyes. "Yes, they were bloody, but we never instigated them; we tried to prevent it." He took a deep breath, looking down at his hands where they rested against Tom's bare chest, the tanned fingers in stark contrast to the pale skin. "Hecatamae are tied, infinitely to their mates, which is why the removal of one will either send them into a fit of unprecedented rage or cause them to curl into themselves and give into the demands of those around them."

Tom moved his hand, letting it drop onto Harry's, squeezing it softly. "What would happen if you kept a secret from me?"

"It would attach itself to my magic, and that magic would turn on me and attack me. The last month or so, I've been taking on _more_ contracts just to _deal_ with the pain."

He nodded. "Tell me things then, I won't have you suddenly incapable of fighting because of some silly secret. Do you understand me?"

Harry rolled his eyes, but nodded anyway, allowing Tom to pull him down into a kiss that sent fire flowing through his veins.

"I want to run with you, I wish I could, on the next moon."

Harry shifted uncomfortably, his eyes sliding away. "Um…"

"_Harry_."

He swallowed. "Well, you see, I _can_ let you come with me. Not as a wizard, but just like me."

He blanched. "You wouldn't _bite me_, would you?"

Harry blinked, a brief look of both revulsion and confusion flashing over his features, before his eyes shined with understanding. "_No!_ What the hell, Tom?" He shook his head, his back stiffening until he looked every bit as powerful as he was. "I can simply, well, mould your magic until he gives an image of you as a wolf, _not_ a werewolf, because that would require a bite, but strong enough to run with a singular unit, or even a pack."

"Yes."

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Tom shifted nervously, looking over at Harry, who stood like a picture of perfect calmness beside him. His emerald eyes were almost completely gold, the green shimmering like lights over and under water. The full moon cast silver rays of light which were caught within Harry's raven hair, showing up a faint blue hue; true black hair, that was almost the colour of midnight.

"Ready, Tom?"

There was laughter in his voice, but also a hint of worry and trepidation. "Yes. Do it."

Harry nodded, turning to him and raising his hand. Visible tendrils of magic began to curl about his fingers, dancing and intertwining themselves until, with a sharp and sudden movement, he flicked his wrist and the magic slammed into Tom, instantly burrowing into him.

He'd expected pain, or discomfort at the very least, but he received neither, just an odd sensation of movement and warmth flowing through his body. He barely even noticed the fact that his eye line was lowering, until he lurched forward onto his hands, no, his _paws_. He blinked in surprise, his dark eyes lightening until they almost bled, and his skin rippled and white fur sprouted all over, soft as silk and rough as velvet. He noticed Harry was staring at his legs, and he curved his neck so he could see what was wrong.

Despite the almost ethereal colour of his coat, the white was broken on all four of his legs by twin bands of blue black, the precise colour of Harry's coat.

He looked back up, in time to see Harry shift and fall forward, the transformation smooth and seamless. His eyes, flowing orbs of emerald and gold, fixed onto him, before he tipped his head back and howled, the sound mournful and joyous all at once.

It was odd, Tom noticed, that his form was smaller than Harry's. He'd approximated Harry to being the same size as an ordinary Timber Wolf, but he could see, quite clearly now, that he was much larger than that; he was just a slightly smaller werewolf. Himself? Well, Harry had said he couldn't change him into a _were_wolf. He was probably an Arctic Wolf, judging by his coat colour and his build.

Harry gave a yip, his tail wagging furiously. Tom huffed; not quite understanding what he wanted, and the sound came out as a weird snort, making him jerk and blink. Harry barked then, and Tom was suddenly hit with a memory of tiny blue-black cub within a playpen, wagging its tail and barking up at him. He shook his head, dispelling the memory and turned to run after Harry, even as his mate zigzagged away from him.

_END FLASHBACK_

Tom had loved running with Harry; it was freeing and completely devoid of all the worries of his normal day-to-day life. He could loose himself to the sounds and smells that wafted over him as a wolf, delight in the simple action of playing with Harry, or his pack, and not even think of his ambition to overthrow the Light and take control of Wizarding Britain. He couldn't take over Europe, because Harry was far more protective of the continent than of his birth land. And he wasn't as bothered by that now as he had been in the beginning, because now he had the backing of the Guild Council to eradicate the taint of Dumbledore and his precious Light.

But Harry seemed different this time, a little more wild and unbridled. He jerked when he realised that this was the most he'd ever seen of the wolf within Harry, the most he'd probably ever see. Harry's eyes were almost entirely gold, a thin band of emerald circling his pupils, and his stance was less playful than it normally was; his tail was lowered, sweeping over the ground, his paws placed further apart and his head lowered slightly, ears perked up and alert. His entire being hummed with power and practically screamed _alpha_.

This should be…_interesting_.

He watched from where he stood silently by Harry's side, as a large steel grey wolf lumbered up to them, huge compared to Harry. He could hear a low hiss and saw from the corner of his eyes that Mere, in leopard form, was moving to stand beside him, her stance entirely defensive. He knew that Harry had released his hold on their Were halves, so they were reacting a little more naturally than he was used to seeing, but he'd never seen them move to defend _him_ before. A small white fox, with a brown stripe down her fluffy tail and pale gold eyes, darted forward, settling under his body. Marci, the most cunning Healer he'd met in the last few years.

The grey wolf growled, snapping his jaws towards a shaggy black and tan wolf poised at Harry's shoulder, Darren, before his amber eyes swung towards Harry. He gave another low growl, his hackles rising as Harry calmly watched him. Harry shifted slightly, moving a step forward, before he snarled, the sound causing all the Were's to stop in their restless shifting and face towards them. Tom noticed that Harry's pack had all gathered behind and around them, instinct calling them to their Alpha.

Just as the grey wolf made to answer Harry, there was a sharp yelp before another wolf trotted over and dumped a small cub by the large wolfs paws. The wolf, Tom was beginning to think it was Fenrir Greyback if memory served correct, curled its lips back over its fangs, leaning down to sniff the tiny brown cub. Harry reacted instantly, more of a blur as he moved, slamming into the grey wolf and taking up a defensive position of the cub.

_Harry?_

He heard a soft growl, in his mind, and then Harry's agitated voice drifted in, _what?_

_What's going on?_

_Akael. He doesn't understand how things work and he moved away from us. Fenrir's beta brought him to him to be weighed and tested._

_That's Akael?_

He'd forgotten that no matter the age, newly turned Were's would also be a cub in their first few transformations. They didn't start to grow until then. He looked closely at the cowering cub, before he decided to chance a movement. He moved forward, cautiously, and Marci kept with him, her pale eyes watchful. When he reached Akael, he huffed, knowing he had no idea how to convey his wish for the wolf to come to him, but to his surprise, a bundle of brown fur shot out from under Harry and instantly curled about his left foreleg, shivers wracking his tiny bundle.

A low, warning growl had him looking up again. Two more of Fenrir's wolves had moved in on him, one right beside him. Harry snarled, and magic crackled in the air about him.

_Tom, step back, take Akael with you._

He didn't argue. He turned around, Marci and Akael moving easily with him, and moved back into the middle of Harry's pack. It was odd, being protected by people so much younger than him, and once he would have taken offence, but he knew that they were stronger now, where physical force mattered.

It was almost twenty minutes before the growls and staring contests finished, with Fenrir letting loose a howl at the moon before his pack began to break up, sprinting into the trees. Harry remained where he was for a moment, ears pricked and body completely still.

It's over. Fenrir's accepted that my pack isn't going to be easily integrated with his, and that I don't wish to be below him within a pack setting. He's dealing with us for only this moon.

Harry turned and gave a soft yip. _Want to run?_

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Harry leaned back against a tree, the bark digging into the skin of his bare back. He gave a sigh, before he cracked open an eye and looked over to where his pack was sitting. They were bundled together, aware from last night that Fenrir wasn't particularly pleased that Harry had refused to back down. Tom was talking softly to Akael, who had stuck by him the entire night and he seemed to be oddly pulled towards the teen now. Harry smiled softly, glad for something positive.

A twig snapped behind him and he tensed, his heightened senses picking up on the scent of several werewolves, including Fenrir. He turned slowly, eyes hard as ice and just as cold. "Fenrir."

"Harry." The heavily muscled man looked him up and down, keen eyes picking up on every detail. "Last night was no good, Harry."

Harry barely managed to hold back the growl that threatened to slip out; he wasn't able to overcome the desperate need to get his pack into their own territory, where someone like Fenrir couldn't threaten them, even though he knew it was only for one moon. He was far too tired, physically and magically, to be bothered controlling the instinctive urges of his werewolf side. And he really couldn't care less.

"The same will happen tonight and tomorrow night."

Fenrir stepped forward, amber eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "You are the lesser alpha here, Harry, and I am your sire, and you have no right to do what you did last night."

"No right?" Harry shook his head. "I had every right, Fenrir, and you know that. I am defending my own pack from danger, there is nothing wrong with that."

"The cub is the problem Harry, you refused to let him be weighed and tested."

"Because he is already a part of my pack. He's new to this and I still haven't found out how he got turned within the last month without my knowing. There are no other werewolves at Hogwarts besides us."

The man to Fenrir's right shifted slightly, his eyes snapping away from Harry's the moment he looked to him.

Harry growled, fierce anger suddenly flaring within him. "You bastard," his voice was dangerously low, and his eyes flickered until the gold retreated and the emerald darkened. "You turned a fifteen year old wizard who had the highest scores Durmstrang has seen in sixty years into a werewolf!"

Fenrir snarled. "Back off, Harry."

"_No_, I will not. **Phanta!**"

There was a flash of silver light and the tiny faerie dragon was suddenly there, lazily hovering in the air. "**Master?**"

"**I want you to place any sort of defensive charms you can over Akael. This idiot changed him without thinking of what would happen to him now.**"

"**Akael? The wizard who dances without care? He is silent now, there is no laughter in his heart anymore.**"

Harry glared at the man in question, wanting to do something to pay him back for what he'd done. He watched as Phanta glided over to land on Tom's shoulder, ignoring the way the wizard attempted to shift her off. He turned back to Fenrir, his eyes bright with anger.

"Keep your pack under control, Fenrir. They should never even come near Hogwarts; there was a reason I arranged for you to have this territory."

Fenrir stepped forward. "Do not presume to order me around, Harry."

"I don't care, the Guilds have enough trouble without you failing to control your pack!"

The other two men bristled at that, and Fenrir took from the waistband of his frayed jeans, a slim wand. "The Guilds are hardly worth our trouble Harry, since they do nothing to protect us from wizards."

Harry glared at him. "How can they when the Balance is so far out of whack because the Light have too much power and no one in the Dark besides Tom is willing to do anything about it!"

The werewolf shook his head. "You misunderstand me, Harry. The Werefolk Guild has done nothing to insure we have safe territory to run in; they take the side of the Council and do nothing to press our own concerns forward. They aren't worth the time we give them." He tightened his grip on the wand, eyes narrowing. "I am demanding that you leave the Guild, withdraw your participation in the votes."

Harry blinked. "Your's was the pack they were talking about, the pack who has withdrawn themselves and refuses to be represented in any way, official or unofficial."

"Yes, and your…mixed pack will soon join us." He raised the wand, the tip glowing a bright red. "Swear that you will withdraw yourself."

"No," Harry tensed, prepared to show his hand and to react as purely as he could if Fenrir refused to back off. "I can't do that, Fenrir, I can't just turn my back on what could be the only chance we have to be free."

The werewolf nodded, a grim smile on his lips. "Very well, you leave me no choice, Harry. This is of your own making."

Harry frowned, confused by what he was saying. Just as he opened his mouth to ask, a jet of red light leaped from Fenrir's wand and shot towards Tom, who remained oblivious to the threat. He felt a painful tugging from somewhere near his shoulder blades, as if something was trying to crawl out, before tendrils of magic suddenly wrapped around Tom, even as he dropped to his knees. He could feel, quite clearly, how the past month had impacted on his magic; it lashed around him, breaking from his Shields and reaching out to effect everything around him, destruction and pure chaos unbridled and uncontrolled. And it was painful, like the worst kind of torture, and he didn't think he could stand it…

He blinked, his eyes perfectly clear, not a hint of gold in their depths as small tendrils of black spread into the bright emerald, like light and shadows over treetops. He stood, his knees feeling oddly weak and the weight of something heavy settling over his back, curving out from his shoulder blades; his wings, forced out through the attack on his mate, blood red and highlighted with thick black veins throughout the folds. He cocked his head on the side, looking at Fenrir with an apathetic gaze, even as he twisted his wrist and grasped the handle of the Nexus Blade. The black blade shimmered in the shadows, swallowing the soft, golden light as if it was hungering for some unattainable thing.

"Harry?"

Fenrir's voice was slightly higher than usual, his features pale and wary. Visible strands of magic were lazily curling around harry, some brighter than others, but all of them shades of black, gold and red, only a hint of blue and green dancing among them.

Tom frowned, standing and cautiously making his way over to where Harry stood, his face calm and devoid of emotion—the face of Grey Shadow. "Harry?"

"Tom?"

He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "What are you doing?"

"The pain was too much," his voice was as soft as velvet, but with a hard edge to it. "I couldn't…couldn't take it, Tom. This was the only way to act against them."

"You don't need to, Harry, I'm perfectly fine. Your pack is fine, just come sit with us and calm down."

"No, Tom. He attacked you, that requires some form of punishment."

"For what?"

"**For attacking the mate of a Hecatamae, one must face either a binding of will, or death at their own leisure. Hecatamus' are…were, notoriously cruel in their punishments.**"

Tom looked up to see Phanta clinging to the trunk of the tree beside Harry, her onyx eyes focused intently on the Hecatamus, her long silver tail wrapped once around the trunk and her gossamer wings fanned out over the bark. When the spell had soared towards him, the faerie dragon had hissed out more curses than he thought one as childish as she should ever know.

He looked back at Harry. "What are you going to do?"

"Bind him."

Fenrir blinked, the two flanking werewolves stepping in front of him. "Harry, this was all a terrible misunderstanding, that's all it was…"

"No," Harry shook his head, his eyes locking onto Fenrir's amber orbs. "You did that on purpose Fenrir. By the Sun and the Moon, in the presence of Majicka herself, I hereby bind thee, Fenrir Greyback, Alpha for the Greyback pack of Teoynleh Mountain, to be forever in the debt of one Thomas Marvolo Riddle, mate of Harry James Evans and Britains current Dark Lord. Your punishment is his to decide, for the crime of attacking the back of an Hecatamus' mate, the holder of your life debt."

The lazily moving magic suddenly stilled, streams of silver and lilac winding their way through before it all leaped forward, wrapping around Fenrir, binding itself to his own magic and enforcing the binding debt. Fenrir gave a distinctly wolf-like howl, the sound raw and pain-filled, but Harry merely blinked.

Justice served and taken.

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The last night of the full moon was one Marci absolutely adored; the feeling of the exaltation of the moon as she sang for her children, the knowledge that her pack ran around her. And little Akael…she glanced over at the tiny brown cub, amber eyes dancing with laughter. He was more alive now, but there was an undercurrent of pain and the distinct feeling of death hung around him. Only she could feel that, not even Harry could ever gain that much of an insight into his pack. She alone, would tell him when the time came.

Unless Karl was picking up on it as well. There was a reason Vero and the Necromancers were so interested in him, so keen to enlist him within their Guild. He had a natural talent for Death, feeling it all around him and unconsciously reaching out to listen to it. Every time Harry came back from a successful contract, not that she could remember him ever _not_ succeeding, he automatically zoned in and focused on the Hecatamus, long enough for him to know how many had died by Harry's hand, blade or magic.

She, on the other hand, could only partially sense when Death was coming to her patients, so tuned in to their pain and suffering. Akael would not survive to the next moon, this was to be his only one and she wasn't sure whether or not it was because of the lycanthropy or because of some as yet unknown reason.

Whatever it was, she had the feeling that Harry would be wrapped up in it.

She yipped as Markus pushed her over, his large paws holding her down as his warm hazel eyes laughed down at her. She gave a little growl, her already fluffy tail fluffing up even more, before she twisted out of his grip, darting around him and heading towards where Mere and Lucial were crouched within the shadows of the trees.

Harry looked up from where he was curled up beside Tom, blue-black fur mingling with pristine white. He gave a low growl, a warning, and Marci skidded to a stop. It wasn't the usual 'don't go too far' type warning he often gave to them, but something else, something more, something only a few of them would understand.

Greyback near.

She shivered, trotting back into the warmth of the clearing. That was why Mere and Lucial had taken to the trees; they were watching, with keener eyes than the wolves, for any sign of danger. Markus probably could have helped, but like Darren, he was prone to playing during the full moon. She growled as Markus made his way over to her, before she froze, her tail falling to the ground and her nose quivering as her large eyes spun around.

Danger.

Harry jumped up, an angry snarl ripping from him, and Tom followed suite. Marci moved quickly to where Karl was lightly gripping the back of Akael's neck, and she softly cooed to the agitated young cub, curling herself around him beneath the large frame of Karl's steel grey form. Harry paced back and forth in front of Tom and Darren, and normally she would have been there but now they had a young one and she was the only one who could keep him calm and out of the way.

Markus had already moved to stand on the other side of the clearing, behind her, and she caught a glimpse gold moving nimbly through the tree branches on either side. They were reacting to a threat they'd never faced before, one she knew Harry had never expected to have to face, but one which was inevitable all the same. Harry had become more and more assertive since he'd met Tom, more like a dominant and less like a submissive. His werewolf half was fighting his submissive standing with Tom, because it was his _Hecatamus_ half that had chosen him, and it had led to a hardening of his actions when dealing with them during the full moon.

He'd stood up to Fenrir Greyback. He'd _refused _to bow down. He'd claimed Akael as his own before he was weighed and tested. He'd gone against his familial pack, for_ them_.

Marci gave a tiny snarl, curling herself tighter around Akael. The poor cub was trembling with fear, unable to even begin to voice his questions as to what was happening. He hadn't been given enough time to fit in properly with the pack, to get more than an instinctive feel for what different movements and actions meant. He was blind, in a world where they saw so much more than the ordinary.

Harry gave a hissing growl, which quickly grew into an angry snarl. Fenrir, flanked by two dark wolves and one silver—Remus— stepped through the trees, unperturbed by Harry's warnings. Amber eyes narrowed as he spied Marci wrapped around Akael, and Karl growled, lowering his head. Marci watched, as Harry continued to pass before Tom and Darren, but it was only Tom's movement which made him pause.

It was obvious, to her at least, that there was a conversation occurring between them, one which no one else could ever hope to hear.

Harry spun around, growling, when Remus stepped forward. The silver wolf cringed, a pained look coming over him, at the obvious rebuttal. Harry barked, once.

Hold still.

She yipped, curling even tighter around Akael, even as she watched the odd tendrils of magic curl about Harry's form. She watched him shift, transforming within the magic, and bringing Tom along with him. Where there had once stood a slightly smaller than average blue-black wolf, and a white wolf with banded legs, now stood a glowering Harry and rage filled Tom.

She suddenly felt sorry for Fenrir.

Harry glared, cold and hard with eyes almost dark enough to be black, down at Fenrir, despite the older alpha's immense size. "One chance, Fenrir, is all we have to work this out. One chance, and then everything will fall." He cocked his head to the side. "Will you take that chance?"

Fenrir growled, and Remus gave a little whine.

Tom blinked, crimson eyes bright in the moonlight. "Come now, Fenrir, have I not allowed you and your pack to stay out of this war? Has Harry not gifted you with a territory vast enough to hold you all, and safe enough so that you may roam? Is this how you repay me?"

Fenrir jerked, slipping back only a step. But that was all Harry seemed to require, and the magic curling lazily about him was suddenly focused, black and red wings shimmering into being. The tendrils snapped forward, ripping at whatever magic held Were's in their monthly forms, and tearing it away to leave the human. The magic nearly stilled, before it whipped forward again, smaller tendrils forming clothes on their bodies, and it slammed Fenrir into a nearby tree. The two darker wolves were caged beneath magic and Remus didn't even move, his tail between his legs and his head hanging down.

Harry stalked forward, the wings shifting before they arched over his head and settled at his back. Marci caught a shimmer of black light before her eyes focused on the dark form of the Nexus Blade strapped snugly to Harry's right forearm. He wasn't taking chances, but she hadn't noticed him carrying it around.

"You're going to listen to me very closely, Fenrir, because I don't like having to do this but you haven't given me much of a chance." His voice was low, a dangerous lilting sound that slid like velvet of the senses. Harry was indulging his werewolf half more than he usually would, allowing it some free reign. He wasn't going to simply sit back in the shadows—not tonight.

Marci watched in silence as Harry ripped into Fenrir over his actions the past two nights; as far as Harry was concerned he'd shown little respect for the dangers all of them were in, and he was inadvertently attempting to break up the only mixed Werepack in Britain. Fenrir did attempt to speak, but though Harry had given him a human body, he evidently hadn't felt the need to change the werewolf's voice box back to human—he came out with snarls and growls, yips and barks.

Tom had stood silent the whole time, until Harry finally allowed Fenrir the ability to speak, and the first words he spoke were a mistake on his own part.

"You're nothing but a mindless creature of magic, refusing to accept your rightful blood and place within my pack! You whore yourself to that serpent of a wizard beside you, fighting a wizards fight! You are a coward Harry, and I exile you from this pack!"

Harry jerked, taking a single step back. The tendrils of magic floating in the air snapped into focus, darkening and sparking as Harry's emerald eyes flashed black and gold. He trembled, ever so slightly, and the wings on his back unfolded themselves spreading out behind him and curving forward. They were darker than she could ever remember seeing them; once, they had resembled freshly spilled blood, and then the small veins of black had begun to creep over them, and now the black had almost taken over the red, leaving it to highlight the edges.

Tom whipped his wand out from its holster on his arm, the tip glowing an ominous green, the same colour as Harry's eyes were when he was calm. "Such a shame, Fenrir, that you seem to have lost all ability to _keep your mouth shut._ Perhaps I should simply wipe you from existence?" The glowing tip of his wand shifted to silver. He cocked his head, crimson hued eyes narrowing dangerously. "No, I think I might just let you enjoy the taste of pain." He flicked his wand, the tip snapping to red and the spell leaping forth and forcing every nerve ending in Fenrir's body to light up in painful fire.

Karl growled, his stance shifting as he spun around to face three grey wolves. Howls and yips echoed out from around the clearing as Fenrir's expansive pack boxed them in. Marci bit down on Akael's neck as the cub tried to scramble away. Harry had made it clear that no harm was to come to the young werewolf, and she could sense the reason why like an ache in her bones. He was weak, the bite and the resulting infection having taken their toll on his body, and she couldn't be sure he'd last the next transformation, but she sent all the magic she could manage into his body, soothing the pain.

Harry spun around, throwing his hand out to the side. A greenish shield sprang up on the right side, forcing the wolves on that side to retreat back. "**Phanta!**"

The tiny silver faerie dragon flashed into being, her long tail whipping back and forth as her gossamer wings beat at the air. "**Danger?**"

"**Yes,**" Harry's eyes darkened, the green a ring around the pupil and the gold a thin line around his iris as the black deepened. "**Make them fall.**"

"**Phanta will be glad. They smell like musk, not as nice as you, and they run run run, all to come hurt you and little cubs. And Master mate! They come to hurt Master mate, and we will not allow it!**" She tipped her head back, onyx eyes glittering with sadistic glee as she screeched into the night air.

Marci winced, pressing her ears back and whimpering. But she kept her eyes open, watching as the wolves around them fell down, whimpering and yelping, even as they retreated back, their strong self-preservation instincts kicking in and overriding their need to come to their Alpha's call.

She grinned; life was always more interesting when Harry actually thought out an attack against a large group. He might be good at taking down single foes, but his werewolf half was more interested in taking down dozens at a time.

If…no, when, Dumbledore moved, he wouldn't know what hit him.

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Dumbledore let his gnarled fingers skim over the page within the book before him. Harry and the other Durmstrang students who had been 'attacked' and 'injured' were within their dorms. Marci was bustling back and forth, tending to them as she should. He'd written to her Guild Mistress, and the Healer had sent back a curt refusal to give any hint as to the Guild Council's decision. He was fast running out of patience, and that was the sole reason why he was even considering what he was about to do.

He sighed and closed the book, picking up a quill and dipping it in a pot of ink. He pulled a thick cream coloured piece of parchment over to him, and set the quill tip to the surface.

_Dear Guild Master of the Assassins Faction,_

_As perhaps you are already aware, I am seeking aid from the Council in order to counteract the advances of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, adamant players on the Dark side. But perhaps you are not aware of an individual I currently have in my midst, an individual who poses a significant threat to the safety of magical Britain, as well as the children here in Hogwarts._

_I am aware that you have two grandchildren currently attending—a Miss Greengrass and a Miss Turpin—and I am certain you will want no harm to come to them._

_The individual I speak of is Harry James Evans, a boy who, by all rights, should have been born a half-blood wizard. Instead, by the intervention of perhaps Fate and Balance, he was born a pure-blooded Hecatamus, with the full abilities and power of those who lived over five thousand years ago. While this is alarming enough on its own, Harry was somehow infected by a werewolf. From what a medi-witch was able to discern, Harry's Hecatamus blood accepted the curse and changed it so that he was able to transform at will—an alarming fact that had us considering permanent imprisonment._

_It appears that Harry is quite adamant that he remain a player in this war, but one who has no clear allegiance and who is a danger to young Daniel Potter, the Boy Who Lived and the key to destroying Voldemort. He has also been linked to one of your more prominent Assassins, Grey Shadow, who is, in turn, linked to Voldemort himself._

_As I am sure you can appreciate this is an alarming discovery for all of us involved in insuring the destruction of the Dark. Because of this, I humbly request that you allow myself to meet with Grey Shadow in an effort to gain his help and trust in this matter._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

**A/N:** Yes, I realise that I've added yet another OC into the fray, but Akael will play an important part, a minor one, but still important. I hope this chapter made up for how long it's been since you guys got an update. The next chapter is already half way done. As for the total length of the story, if all goes to plan, it should be about thirty chapters all up. I'm determined to get this finished.


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